


master of the cards

by iseekdaylight



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Magical Boy AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-11-20 03:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11327310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iseekdaylight/pseuds/iseekdaylight
Summary: It’s one thing to deal with schoolwork, student council work, and your crush on your seatmate in class. It’s another thing to try and capture mysterious cards start wreaking havoc in town, not to mention deal with a masked guy in a tuxedo trying to capture the same cards. But that’s the life of Jung Jaehyun, the newly appointed Clow Card Master.





	master of the cards

**Author's Note:**

> \- First of all, the OP probably wanted something fun, but this turned out … quite different. Still, I hope OP likes it!  
> \- Obviously, this is inspired by the anime Card Captor Sakura. Masked guy in a tuxedo is based on another magical girl anime. (Guess what?)  
> \- Warnings for probable plot holes and cliché anime tropes. Otherwise, enjoy!  
> \- Credits to Card Captor Wiki for the descriptions of the Clow Cards tbh.  
> \- I was trying to think of what Jaehyun’s Sealing Wand would look like, then it ended up being a Keyblade hybrid. (I’m in a Kingdom Hearts phase, I’m not sorry.)  
> \- Also a special thank you to my beta, who I will forever love and cherish. <3

He’s running.

That’s the situation Jaehyun finds himself in. He can’t remember what he was doing before, why he’s running in the first place, or where he’s going. He has thought of pausing, but for some reason, his feet won’t let him.

He gives up trying to stop running and looks at the passing surroundings. It’s dark, but he can make out the faint outlines of houses and street lights. _Why aren’t the street lights on at this time of night?_ Jaehyun wonders. He thinks this is the familiar path he takes to school, but given the darkness, he could be anywhere.

Finally, he stops. He’s standing in the middle of an intersection, and he’s surrounded by tall buildings, or at least outlines of them. He looks around, in an attempt to make sense of what’s happening, then looks up at the tallest building.

Jaehyun finds a figure perched atop the tallest building. The moon is full and casts shadows, and he can’t make out what the figure looks like. If only there’s some way for him to get closer …

Suddenly, he feels like he’s floating up, up, up. Jaehyun looks down, and he sees wings at the sides of his sneakers. That’s not normal, yet he can’t bring himself to be surprised. Instead, he tucks his feet together, and propels himself up faster.

Finally, he reaches the top of the building, and Jaehyun flies forward to get a closer look at the figure. The figure is wearing a tuxedo, buttons open to reveal a dress shirt. Jaehyun has a feeling the figure looks familiar, but the latter is wearing a mask, covering the wearer’s eyes.

The figure turns his gaze to Jaehyun, expression blank. Jaehyun’s breath hitches. “Who …” he says, when he finds his voice. “Who are you?”

The figure’s lips curve up to a smile, as he reaches for his mask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun feels a soft thud on the back of his head, and he groans as he opens his eyes. He’s lying down, face first on the pillow, so he props himself up, only to squint at the sudden burst of light. A couple of quick blinks, and his vision finally adjusts. No longer is there darkness—he’s in his room, bright as sunlight streams through his window.

There’s another soft thud on his head, and this time, Jaehyun yelps. He grabs the source of the thud—a pillow—and looks around for the source, because pillows just don’t come flying from out of nowhere. Said source is leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, a frown on his face. “Oh,” Jaehyun croaks. “G’morning, Ten.”

“Good morning,” Ten greets back, still frowning. “You’re supposed to wake me up, Jaehyun. We’re gonna be late.”

“No, we’re not. What time is it, anyway?” Jaehyun asks, reaching for his phone. He and Ten have been best friends since high school, and it has always been Jaehyun’s duty to be the one waking up Ten for school. For Ten being the one who’s doing the waking up … well, this would be the first time.

The time in his cell phone reads 7:30a.m. He remembers he had set his alarm at seven. It’s unusual for him to sleep in; he usually wakes up before the alarm or on the dot.

And to think it’s Monday, the first day of their sophomore year in college. And his first class is on—

“SHIT.” Jaehyun jumps up his bed and makes his way to the bathroom, ignoring the echo of Ten’s laughter in the hallways. A quick shower and a quick change of clothes later, he grabs his bag (thankfully already prepared the night before) and accepts the buttered toast Ten hands him before they both head out.

“What happened to you?” Ten snickers as they make their way past crowded streets. Thank god the university is only five minutes away from the apartment. “You were the one who told me not to wake up late for the first day of school, and then you were the one who slept in.”

Jaehyun remembers his dream, of the full moon casting shadows on a man in a tuxedo and a mask. He doesn’t know what it means, but perhaps … He shakes his head. “I was too excited about today, I guess.”

“Hand it to you to be excited over school,” Ten says with a snort.

They reach the university campus fifteen minutes before Jaehyun’s class. Jaehyun’s first class—Principles of Marketing—is on the other side of the campus, and he makes a run for it as soon as he enters the gates. From behind, he hears Ten yelling at him about meeting in the quadrangle over lunch, to which he yells back a confirmation. He’s very sure they’re going to laugh about this blunder later, but that’s the least of his worries right now. His priority is being on time on the first meeting for their class.

He sighs in relief when he grabs the doorknob of the classroom just as the bell rings. The marketing professor is already there, smiling as she gestures for him to find a seat. Jaehyun automatically makes his way toward the second front seat by the aisle, his row and the row in front of him void of students.

The professor has stood up and is just about to introduce herself when the door opens once more. Jaehyun had just taken out his notebook, but looks at the direction of the door. His eyes widen, and there’s no mistaking the loud flop of his notebook on the floor.

The person standing by the doorway is wearing black jeans and the university jersey jacket over a gray shirt. He glances at the professor and immediately mumbles an apology, before scanning the classroom to see where he can take a seat. Suddenly, his gaze lands on Jaehyun’s. Immediately, Jaehyun can feel the otherwise cool spring air warm up as he quickly looks away. This is too good to be true. There’s no way Lee Taeyong, that management information senior who Jaehyun had had a crush on for eight months and counting, could be in this class.

“This seat taken?”

Jaehyun looks to his left, and his heart almost stops. Taeyong is hovering beside him, gesturing towards the seat next to his bag. He gulps, and he hopes it isn’t visible, and shakes his head.

“Thanks.” Taeyong smiles at him, plopping down on the empty seat before fishing out his notebook.

It’s that smile that makes Jaehyun giddy, his stomach doing the most complicated acrobatic routines. He remembers that smile being his undoing, in the university summer festival. He was assisting Johnny, then the student council vice president, in making sure the program goes as planned. He had caught Taeyong standing front and center on the stage, camera shutter going on endlessly as he documents the ongoing performance. Jaehyun had thought nothing of it until Taeyong had stopped taking photos and had started going through the camera gallery, a smile brightening up his whole face. Jaehyun may have regretted there and then that he didn’t have a camera to capture that smile, but that smile has been embedded in his memory for the past eight months.

And now, he’s going to be next to the guy with the brilliant smile for one semester.

It’s going to be exciting and terrifying at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“And you sat there and did nothing?”

As expected, Ten is sorely disappointed by this development, or lack thereof. Jaehyun rolls his eyes and munches on his sandwich, stretching his legs on the grass. It’s the perfect day to sit on the quad and have lunch, what with the cool spring air and all. “It’s the first day of class,” he says. “Everyone is still awkward around each other.”

Ten huffs, his pencil making angry scratch sounds on his sketchpad. “You’ve done nothing these past eight months but to dreamily sigh over Lee Taeyong. It’s cute and all, but now that you’re classmates, you gotta take the chance!”

“Tell you what.” Jaehyun takes a couple of gulps on his water bottle before he continues. “I’ll make a move on Taeyong _if_ you make a move on Johnny.”

As expected, Ten’s face scrunches into horror. “How dare you!” he screams a little too loudly, causing passersby to stare. He glares when Jaehyun falls down, clutching his stomach as he laughs.

Ten’s crush on Johnny has been longer than Jaehyun’s crush on Taeyong. It all started when Ten decided to wait for Jaehyun as the student council finishes its first meeting of the school year. Johnny had noticed Ten during the ten-minute break and stepped out and introduced himself. Ten was instantly charmed.

“Ugh, I hate you.” Ten closes his sketchpad a little forcefully. “You know how unreachable Johnny is, right? He’s smart, he’s charming, not to mention he’s really good-looking.”

“Why, thank you.”

Jaehyun almost jumps and looks over his shoulder to see Johnny standing right behind Ten, an amused expression on his face. Ten seems to have copied the gesture and does jump, not to mention screech. More people look at their direction, but Jaehyun doesn’t care; his stomach starts to hurt from laughing too much again.

“J-J-J-Johnny!” Ten exclaims, voice high-pitched as he tries to regain his bearings. “How much of that have you heard?”

Johnny tilts his head in a way that would probably have Ten internally screeching. “Let’s see …” He purses his lips. “I heard my name, and you said something about me being smart, charming, not to mention really good-looking?”

“Oh god …” Ten buries his face on his hands, but there’s no denying the embarrassment showing in Ten’s slowly reddening neck.

“Johnny!” Jaehyun exclaims, to save his friend from further embarrassment. “Are we still good on the meeting later?”

“Yeah, it’s recruitment week. Gotta make sure those freshmen don’t get lost, right?” Johnny chuckles. Someone calls his name, and he looks out. Jaehyun follows the direction of Johnny’s gaze and sees the older one’s friends, Hansol and Yuta. “Anyway, gotta go. See you later?”

“Yup, bye, hyung!” Jaehyun waves and Johnny jog to his friends before glancing at Ten. He chuckles when he sees his best friend has barely put his hands down from his face. “He’s gone, you know.”

“Great,” Ten mutters, as he puts his hands down. “Now, I have to find a really good place where I can bury myself alive.”

Jaehyun thinks Ten is overreacting. He also wants to tell Ten that Johnny had approached him once and had asked about Ten, which meant the affection is mutual. But where’s the fun in spoiling the surprise?

He’s about to tease Ten into burying himself in the garden patch near their dorm, when he freezes. It’s a feeling he has come to be familiar with since last year, that feeling of apprehension, unusual on a fine, spring day. It can only mean one thing …

“You felt it, too, didn’t you?”

Jaehyun looks to the direction of the voice and finds a familiar figure next to him. Compared to Johnny, the figure is smaller, the sweater he’s wearing loose on his body. “Sicheng,” he says in greeting.

Just as he says that, there is a loud rumble, followed by an earsplitting clap and a sudden flash of light that sent people around him screaming. Jaehyun closes his eyes and covers his ears, for fear he might go deaf and blind in an instant. There’s another flash and loud clap, and this time he opens his eyes when Ten pulls him up, telling him they should go somewhere safe. Jaehyun nods, putting his plastic envelope over his head and following Ten and Sicheng to the nearest building, for shelter.

“That’s weird,” Ten says with a frown. He leans against the building pillar as he looks out at the now-empty quadrangle.

Jaehyun nods. “Lightning in spring. That’s not something you see every day,” he says.

“And lightning but no rain?” Sicheng adds. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Should we investigate?”

Jaehyun looks around him. Students seeking shelter have their phones out, no doubt ready to post about this strange phenomenon in their social media in an instant. He shakes his head. “We wait ‘till evening,” he says. “It’s too risky to go out with too many people about.”

Sicheng nods. “Right. The less people, the less risk someone can get hurt.”

Jaehyun’s hand mechanically reaches for his necklace, more like a golden key around a chain. The sense of foreboding is back, and he knows he has to put a stop to this strange phenomenon once and for all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun, of course, cannot go out and face whatever’s causing that strange lightning phenomenon without proper gear. Ten had made sure of that, fishing out the costume from Jaehyun’s closet before Jaehyun can even make a move. “Made it last week,” Ten says, beaming. “And good timing, too, especially since you’re gonna go against some thunder and lightning being.”

Ten had made him an all-black ensemble that Jaehyun would have mistaken for a suit set if he hadn’t felt the material. He frowns. “Is there rubber in this suit?” he asks. “Why would you even be putting rubber in clothes?”

“Fashion as a social enterprise. Clothes that can help protect the wearer. Video games do it, so why shouldn’t it be done in real life?” Ten grins and shrugs. “Come on, Golden Boy, get changed. You have a city to save.”

Jaehyun rolls his eyes, but he gets changed anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun has been on this, this … mission? Job? He’s not exactly sure what to call it, but what’s clear is that this started on the autumn of his freshman year. Like the start of all cliché cartoon shows, he was a normal college student until that fateful day.

It started with a mysterious book. He and Ten were helping the landlord of their apartment do some cleaning, and they both ended up in the basement. There was this weird noise and that strange feeling, and Jaehyun was brave enough to venture deep into the shelves and shelves of books, to assure Ten that it was probably a rat and not some ghost he was freaking out about.

He opened the ordinary-looking book, where a card was sticking out. He had plucked it out—it had the hand-drawn picture of an elegant fairy, with high hair falling forward in two long strands, and with large wings and feathered shoulders. “The Windy,” he had read out loud the caption at the bottom of the card.

The rest happened so fast. Suddenly, there was a strong gush of wind, and several cards started coming out of the book in long swirls before suddenly disappearing. He checked to make sure Ten was okay, and his best friend’s face was white as sheet—it wasn’t a dream.

Then, Sicheng, the son of the landlord, appeared. He had introduced himself as one of the guardians of the Clow Cards, the cards that had suddenly scattered all around the area. And as The Windy responded to Jaehyun, he was deemed the Clow Card Master, tasked to capture all the cards.

And thus came his adventures as Jung Jaehyun, the Clow Card Master.

It was not easy to juggle schoolwork and student council duties, not to mention hanging out with friends and family, then rush to a nearby disturbance to capture a Clow Card when needed. Jaehyun doesn’t know how he manages to survive it, but he guesses having Ten helps, even if his best friend has taken upon himself to design him costumes to “conceal” his identity. (Except for that one time Ten designed him a skirt. Jaehyun did not speak to Ten for a week after that.) That, and Sicheng has been very helpful in giving him backgrounds of the cards. He had also gotten to know another guardian, Taeil, now the new teaching assistant from the Literature Department, whose many words of wisdom has saved Jaehyun time and again whenever he has trouble in dealing with certain cards.

Besides, Ten has pointed out that Jaehyun has this pure heart of gold, hence the nickname Golden Boy. Jaehyun can never say no to helping others in need. He wouldn’t go as far as say he has a heart of gold, but he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt because the cards are causing chaos. And this is why he does this … whatever this is.

Maybe he’ll have something to label it, someday, but right now, he has a card to capture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They meet Sicheng outside the apartment, and they all head outside, to the source of the disturbance. Just as they’re running, there’s another rumble in the sky, and a flash of lightning. Suddenly, his surroundings are enveloped in darkness. Jaehyun is suddenly overwhelmed by how familiar this situation is, but he keeps running.

“I’ve dreamt of this last night,” he declares, as he, Ten, and Sicheng continue running. He catches Sicheng’s expression change into a curious one. “This setting, this darkness, it’s the same from my dream.”

“It’s probably one of those foretelling dreams,” Sicheng says thoughtfully. “As Clow Card Master, dreams come to you, and they usually predict something that will happen in the future.”

“Maybe your dream has something that will help you defeat the card?” Ten asks hopefully.

Jaehyun is pondering on whether he should tell them about the guy in a mask when lightning strikes again. This time, it wasn’t as near as before. “It came from the central business district, didn’t it?” he says.

Ten groans. “That’s ten minutes away!”

“No problem,” Jaehyun says as he clutches his necklace. He withdraws his hand when he feels warmth emanating from the trinket, which turns larger and larger until the key turns as big as a sword. Jaehyun holds onto the hilt and closes his eyes. “Fly,” he says, voice barely above a whisper.

As he says it, a card appears in front of him. A flash of light, and a pale bird with long neck and legs emerge before him.

“Take us to The Thunder,” Jaehyun commands.

The Fly lets out an ear-splitting sound, its size increasing until its wings have enveloped Jaehyun, Ten, and Sicheng. Jaehyun feels himself being lifted off the ground, The Fly taking them up the air and forward to the source of the thunder and lightning. Ten clutches to him, face pale; he has never been good with heights. Meanwhile, Sicheng looks out onto the horizon, wearing the same concerned expression that Jaehyun sees whenever they’re about to capture a card.

Finally, they reach their destination. The Fly sets them down on the streets, strangely empty that this time of night, making another ear-splitting sound before it disappears back in the card. Jaehyun takes a look around, to find the card in question. There are no marks as to where the lightning hit, so it could be anywhere.

Jaehyun looks up, and his eyes widen. He sees _him_ , the guy wearing a tuxedo and mask standing atop the tallest building. This is it, the same scenario in his dreams. He’s half-tempted to call The Fly again and ask the person to reveal himself …

The bolt of lightning strikes too close to him, that Jaehyun is thrown back. Ten screeches his name, and Jaehyun looks just in time for Sicheng to pull Ten away when another lightning bolt strikes. He looks around for the source of the lightning, and he easily finds it—a feline figure covered in white flames, baring its teeth and claws. He clutches his Sealing Wand and brings it close to his face, as he gets ready for the impending attack.

The Thunder growls and charges at his direction, but the masked figure flies down and in between Jaehyun and the card. The masked figure draws out a sword and stabs it on the ground, causing dirt rocks to emerge from below and form some sort of wall just as The Thunder strikes again.

“T-Thanks,” Jaehyun says, a little shaken.

The masked figure looks over his shoulder; a frown is visible on his face. “You’re the newly chosen master of the cards?” he asks. Jaehyun thinks the figure looks familiar, but with the mask, he can’t really tell.

Jaehyun blinks. “Yeah …?”

The masked figure makes a ‘tsk’ sound. “I expected someone more competent.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widen. Who is this guy? Who is he to tell whether or not Jaehyun is a competent Clow Card Master? It was Sicheng who chose him, of all people. How—

“Jae!” comes Ten’s panicked voice. “A little help here?!”

Jaehyun steps out of the wall in time to see The Thunder charging its way towards Ten and Sicheng’s direction. Sicheng had just muttered a spell and has managed to conjure a shield just as the card strikes them with lightning. Jaehyun trusts Sicheng to protect Ten, but he knows the protection can’t last long; he has to seal the card, quickly.

“Hey!” Jaehyun yells, causing The Thunder to look at his direction. “Over here! I’m your target, not them!”

The Thunder growls and turns around, charging at him this time. Jaehyun summons The Jump. Wings sprout out of the ankles of his shoes, just in time for him to evade the lightning bolt. The chase continues for some time, but Jaehyun knows he can’t keep this up. He has to subdue the card and capture it before it causes further damage.

But what should he do?

Another lightning bolt. Jaehyun summons The Wood, creating a trunk-like shield in front of him. Suddenly, The Thunder growls in pain as bright light shaped like a net encases it. That was not his doing.

He looks and finds the masked figure floating right behind The Thunder, a smirk on his face. He then raises his sword and says, “Return to your power confined!”, before lowering the sword to the tip of The Thunder’s forehead.

Jaehyun shields his eyes from the flash of light that follows. When it’s safe to look, he sees a card, clearly The Thunder, floating in the air. Jaehyun reaches out his hand, but to his surprise, the card floats to the masked figure’s direction, who takes it without hesitation.

The masked figure smirks at him. “It’s the rules,” he says. “Whoever subdues the card claims ownership of it, whether or not you’re the appointed Clow Card Master.” He snickers when Jaehyun’s eyes widen. “Oh, your guardians didn’t tell you? How disappointing.”

“Don’t drag them into this,” Jaehyun says, gritting his teeth. The masked figure is right, though. He thought this duty, or whatever it is, as Card Captor Master belonged to him and him only. He wasn’t aware of any complications.

“I’m the rightful Clow Card Master,” the masked figure says, his expression now somber. “I’ll prove it to you, in capturing the cards and in the Final Judgment.”

“What Final Judgment?”

“See you around.”

“Wait—” Suddenly Jaehyun is surrounded by a puff of smoke, sending him into a coughing fit.

By the time the smoke has cleared, the masked figure is gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Literature Department is on the farthest side of campus. The oldest building in the university, its gothic-like construction makes the hairs on Jaehyun’s body stand up, makes him more alert of the possibility of a Clow Card suddenly showing up. Fortunately, he doesn’t sense anything today, and he makes his way towards the huge mahogany doors, where the faculty lounge is located.

He tentatively knocks on the door before stepping in, and he’s greeted by a skeptical-looking secretary. “Hi,” he greets sheepishly. “Is Moon Taeil-seonsaengnim around?”

“He’s in the reading room.”

“Thanks.” Jaehyun smiles at a couple of teachers glancing at him before heading towards the end of the hallway, where the reading room is.

Jaehyun finds Taeil the same way he had first met the older one, only Sicheng was with him to officially introduce him as the newly appointed Clow Card Master, and they were in a library at that time. Still, Taeil was still curled up in a book, reading glasses askew on his nose. Sicheng is beside him, happily munching on a biscuit. Jaehyun clears his throat, and Taeil the two look up. Taeil sits up straighter and fixes his glasses while Sicheng avoids his gaze, cheeks red.

“Jaehyun!” Taeil greets with a smile as he gestures for the empty seat in front of him. “How are you?”

“Okay, I guess.” Jaehyun takes a seat, then glances at Sicheng. “Did Sicheng tell you about what happened last night?”

Taeil nods as he sets the book on the nearby table. “Of course. We guardians have to keep in touch about the progress of our new Clow Card Master.”

“And did he tell you about the guy with the mask?” Jaehyun asks. “Did he tell you everything the guy told me?”

Sicheng clears his throat nervously. “We were supposed to tell you once you’ve adjusted to capturing the cards …” he explains.

Jaehyun takes a seat and sighs. He felt he was supposed to be mad at Sicheng and Taeil for not telling him about card ownerships and the Final Judgment, yet he can’t bring himself to be mad. They both have their reasons.

Sicheng shoves the plate of biscuits to his direction. “Hungry?” he asks. He still looks apologetic.

Jaehyun smiles and takes a biscuit. All is forgiven.

“I believe we should start with the identity of the masked figure,” Taeil says.

“Do you know him?” Jaehyun asks hopefully. The image of the masked figure smirking at him causes him to clench his fists.

“I don’t know his exact identity, but I believe he is an indirect descendant of Master Clow Reed,” Taeil explains with a frown. “Master Clow Reed comes from a family of sorcerers, and very powerful ones at that. They have grown up learning the ways of magic, especially Master Clow Reed’s. Quite strange, because the Master’s direct descendants did not actively seek for the ownership of the cards, so we simply assumed that even his indirect descendants wouldn’t. Or so I thought.”

“The masked figure said that whoever subdues the card claims ownership of it, whether or not you’re the appointed Clow Card Master,” Jaehyun says.

“That’s true.” Taeil nods. “Just because you were appointed Clow Card Master by Sicheng does not guarantee you ownership permanently. You and the challenger have to undergo the Final Judgment to determine who will own it permanently.”

“What’s going to happen in the Final Judgment?”

“If I remember correctly, Master Clow Reed’s direct descendant will appear before you and the challenger,” Sicheng says. “You will undergo a series of challenges. Every Final Judgment is different, so we can’t tell what’s going to happen. All we can do is to help you capture the cards and make you stronger to prepare you when the time comes.”

Jaehyun remembers the masked figure’s words to him. “I expected someone more competent.” His heart sinks. It’s still a challenge to capture the cards; he still struggles with some cards and has to turn to Sicheng and Taeil for advice. Yet, it is something that he has come to enjoy doing, for the sake of making sure the cards don’t wreak havoc and hurt anyone. To be deemed unworthy of handling the cards after all is something that Jaehyun doesn’t want to happen, even if it looks like that now.

He snaps out of his thoughts when he feels warmth on his hand. He looks up and sees Taeil had inched forward, a reassuring smile on his face. “The cards respond to you for a reason,” he says.

Sicheng nods in agreement. “I didn’t just choose anyone to be Clow Card Master. But you have to get stronger, unless you want someone else to take that title.”

Jaehyun looks at the two guardians and feels warmth in his chest. “Do you really think I can pass this Final Judgment?” he asks.

“As Guardians, Sicheng and I will see to it.” Taeil withdraws his hand. “Considering you’re still up to the challenge.”

“Of course, I am.” Jaehyun smiles. “I’ll make you both proud.”

“We’ll make you proud, too,” Sicheng chimes in.

Maybe the masked figure is right. Jaehyun isn’t a competent Clow Card Master. But if there’s anything he knows, is that he won’t be incompetent for long. Jaehyun wants to be the Clow Card Master, wants to keep this place and everyone he loves from harm.

It’s a challenge, but it’s something he’s willing to take on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun wonders what the Final Judgment is like. Taeil mentioned that it will be up to the descendant of Clow Reed as to what challenge will be thrown to him, but Jaehyun wants to know what he’s getting himself into. Does he have to be transported somewhere and engage in a battle with some sort of beast? Will he have to take on Clow Reed’s descendant? The possibilities are endless.

“Mr. Jung, I believed I have asked you a question.”

Jaehyun blinks. He’s back to reality, and his professor is looking at him sternly. His classmates are looking at him in amusement, while Taeyong seems to be busy scribbling on his notebook to even care.

Fortunately, he answers the professor’s question, and the lecture continues without any incident. Jaehyun pushes the scenarios to the back of his mind, realizing that he can worry about that when he finally captures all the cards.

The bell rings, signaling the end of class. The professor reminds them of this partner work that they need to submit at the end of the month. Jaehyun is scanning the classroom for any possible partner when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks over his shoulder, and his heart stops. _Shit._

Taeyong’s hand is on his shoulder, and he has a neutral expression. Yet, that doesn’t stop Jaehyun from admiring at how perfect Lee Taeyong looks right now. “C-Can I help you?” he stammers.

Taeyong’s expression softens, and Jaehyun hopes the older one can’t hear how his heart is beating furiously right now. “Jaehyun … right?” Taeyong asks. “We’ve met before?”

Jaehyun nods. “Yeah,” he says, when he has managed to calm down somewhat. “Last year’s summer festival. You volunteered to be a photographer.”

“Right, and you were in the student council.” Taeyong’s shoulders relax. “I’m Taeyong. Senior. Taking this class as an elective.”

Jaehyun wants to say he knows Taeyong’s name, but common sense triumphed. “Nice to meet you … hyung.”

“Um, about the partner activity for class …” Taeyong scratches his cheek, his gaze on the floor. “It kinda sucks when you’re the only senior in this class and you don’t know anyone? So, um, since you’re the only person I know, I was kinda wondering if, um …”

“We could be partners?” Jaehyun finishes for him, his eyes widening. He wants to pinch himself. Did he accidentally activate The Illusion card or something? Is this really happening? Is Lee Taeyong actually asking if they can be—

“Partners, yeah!” Taeyong laughs nervously. “I mean, if that’s okay with you. I’d totally understand if you already have a partner in mind, and—”

Jaehyun actually has a couple of people in mind, but a little separation from his usual classmates wouldn’t hurt him. He grins. “Sure, it’s okay with me.”

Taeyong’s eyes brighten up, and Jaehyun swears to god it’s the most endearing thing he has ever seen. “Great!” he exclaims, jumping when the bell rings, signaling that they have a ten-minute grace period until the next class, if they have one. “Um, listen, I have class in a bit, but I’ll see you next class, yeah? Let’s talk about the project?”

“Sure.” Jaehyun swears his cheeks are starting to hurt. “I’ll see you next class.”

“Okay, bye.” Taeyong smiles and waves at him, before turning around and taking his leave.

Jaehyun doesn’t know how long he has been standing there until a familiar classmate brings him back to reality and asks if he’s okay. He blinks and remembers how Taeyong’s face had brightened up, and he smiles. “I’m fine,” he says. “Never been better.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re in an awfully good mood today.”

Jaehyun looks up from his laptop to find Johnny suddenly coming in, plopping across him. “What makes you think I’m in an awfully good mood, hyung?” he asks, trying not to grin as he suddenly thinks of Taeyong. The attempt fails, though.

Johnny shrugs. He reaches from inside his bag and pulls out his laptop. “Just a feeling,” he says. “That, and you’re grinning like an idiot.”

Jaehyun chuckles. “Something good happened today, that’s all,” he says. He doesn’t elaborate. What he likes about Johnny is that he doesn’t ask for details unless divulged. Ten is the only person who knows about Jaehyun’s crush on Taeyong, and he would like to keep it that way.

“That’s great.” There are soft typing sounds from Johnny’s laptop. “I’ll just finish this thing for thesis. We can talk about our agenda for the meeting before the others arrive.”

“Gotcha.”

It doesn’t take too long before the rest of the student council officers arrive. As usual, the office is lively as they all share their reports before moving on to the more important discussion—recruitment week. Johnny is efficient in delivering updates and delegating assignments, and Jaehyun couldn’t be any happier to belong to this student council. They all have different majors and different positions, but they all work together like a well-oiled machine.

As expected, his phone beeps half an hour before they’re about to wrap up. It’s from Ten. _“Are you having a meeting right now?”_ he asks.

He furtively glances at Johnny’s direction. Apparently the older one is glancing back, but is quick to look at the office’s whiteboard. Jaehyun chuckles to himself. _“Johnny is here, if that’s what you want to ask,”_ he texts back.

The reply comes in a flash. _“Right, I am on my way!!!”_

Ten is waiting by the waiting area when the student council meeting wraps up. He smiles at Jaehyun in greeting, but his eyes immediately go to Johnny, who is still talking to Seulgi, the vice president. Eventually, the gazes of the two meet, and Jaehyun pretends he has an incoming call and excuses himself because he’s a supportive best friend like that.

Ten is in a daze when he walks out of the office, looking like he had just seen a ghost. “Are you … okay?” Jaehyun asks, trying to look concerned, but failing.

His best friend doesn’t reply right away. Jaehyun figures that if Ten is about to freak out, they should do so somewhere where no one—especially Johnny—can hear and judge them. Jaehyun leads the way until they reach the hallway to the cafeteria, where Ten freezes on his tracks. “Have you calmed down already?” Jaehyun asks with a chuckle.

Ten’s eyes widen, his mouth hanging open. “Um … I think Johnny just asked me out?” he says.

Jaehyun is no longer surprised by this development, but he laughs and gives Ten a congratulatory hug nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun, Ten, and Sicheng pass by a huge crowd gathered around the playground the next day. The foreboding feeling is back, so Jaehyun goes through the crowd to see what the commotion is all about. Sure enough, he reaches the front of the commotion and sees the playground’s penguin slide upside down. He can hear the buzz of conversation all over him, about this possibly being a prank, the debate of whether to get the police involved, how the slide is going to be returned to its original position.

“It’s The Power.” Sicheng is now standing beside him, a frown on his face. “There’s no doubt about it. Only The Power can turn that slide upside down.”

“If it can turn the slide upside down, there’s no way Jaehyun can take it down easily,” Ten says with a grimace.

“Let’s figure it out over lunch break,” Jaehyun says, gesturing for the others to leave the commotion. Knowing the history of the cards, they’re usually bound to stay in the same place where they cause havoc, so he isn’t worried about finding The Power in the playground when he’s ready to capture it. His worries are about people eavesdropping on their conversation.

They meet Taeil in the reading room, where Ten shows him a photo he had taken of the upside-down slide. Taeil had barely looked at the photo in detail when he concludes, “It’s The Power card. It’s going to be a challenge capturing it.”

“I was afraid of that,” Jaehyun says with a sigh. “How do I capture it?”

“The Power comes off as an invisible being and will only show itself if you challenge it with strength,” Taeil explains. “And it will only surrender if you defeat it with the challenge.”

“And what should I challenge it with?” Jaehyun asks, his stomach lurching. He has to admit that years of playing basketball helped him become physically fit, but challenging a magical being is a different story altogether.

“Arm-wrestling?” Ten suggests, though he doesn’t look convinced of his own suggestion. “I just hope he doesn’t break your arm or something.”

Jaehyun shudders at the thought, but nevertheless, “Arm-wrestling is okay, I guess … So I have to call it out in the playground and challenge it to an arm-wrestling match.”

“And when you defeat it, you can capture it,” Sicheng concludes with a nod.

“I’m gonna die,” Jaehyun groans, hands over his head. “I don’t know about you, but I’d like to have my arms intact, thank you very much.”

“There must be some way Jaehyun can defeat The Power without me sending him to the hospital afterwards,” Ten says, equally concerned.

Jaehyun wants to protest; there must be another way. But he knows he can’t keep asking his guardians all the time on how to capture the Clow Cards. He has to start making his own strategies. He’s very sure Clow Reed’s direct descendant wouldn’t allow him to consult Sicheng and Taeil in the Final Judgment.

He looks over his shoulders and takes out the cards—all twelve of them neatly stacked in a pouch Ten had made for him. There has to be some cards he can use. Even if he has to rely on strength to defeat The Power, magic is still magic, right?

His hand brushes his recently captured card from two weeks ago. Jaehyun shudders as he remembers how challenging this card was …

He sits up straighter, as realization hits him.

“You okay, Jaehyun?” Ten asks him with a frown.

“Yeah.” Jaehyun nods, a grin forming on his face as he looks at his friend and his two guardians. “I think I have a plan …”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They’re back in the playground that night, but they weren’t the first to arrive. The masked figure is back, sword out as he swishes it in the air as if he’s battling an invisible being. Jaehyun is about to wonder about it out loud when masked figure is knocked forward by something. The masked figure cries as he lands on the ground.

“He’s battling The Power, isn’t he?” Ten asks.

“He is,” Sicheng says. “But he hasn’t officially challenged the card yet. The Power will only show itself when you declare you want to challenge it and you state what the challenge is.”

Why the masked figure didn’t know about this, Jaehyun doesn’t get to ask because said masked figure is suddenly thrown in their direction. Ten screams, instantly scrambling towards Sicheng’s direction, while Jaehyun had reacted too late. He feels the hard impact of the masked figure’s body, and they both slam on the ground, the masked figure on top of him.

Jaehyun groans at the dull pain on his back, his shoulders … basically everywhere. This is not going to bode well for his challenge with The Power later. He opens his eyes he didn’t realized he had closed just as the masked figure gets off him, barely moving afterwards. “You okay?” he asks.

The masked figure winces as he sits up, but he doesn’t reply.

“Jaehyun!” Sicheng calls. “Go for it!”

“R-Right!” Jaehyun stands up, suddenly remembering he has a card to capture. He takes out his Sealing Wand and cries, “The Power! I challenge you to an arm-wrestling competition!”

What emerges is something Jaehyun had not expected, but given The Power’s strength, looks can be deceiving. Standing in front of him is a tiny, pink elfin girl wearing a sleeveless pink dress and baggy pants, her hair tied in two high buns in the back with long ribbons ending in ball ornaments. It smiles as it bounces to the nearby stone table, propping its elbow on the surface, ready to start the match.

Jaehyun gulps as he heads to his impending doom. His hand reaches for his back pants pocket, a card hidden inside it. He hopes this plan will work. Otherwise, he’ll be going home with a badly broken arm. Or a badly broken body, for that matter.

His hand grips The Power’s hand, unsurprisingly firm. “On three,” he says, realizing his voice is shaking. He catches Ten clutching his hands together and Sicheng trying to stay calm but failing. “One … two … three!”

Just as Jaehyun begins to feel the pain of The Power’s immense weight coming down on his arm, his free hand reaches for the card in his back pocket. “Time,” he mutters, voice barely above a whisper. “Make time freeze.”

A robed old man emerges, his hand running through the hourglass he’s carrying. The pain in his arm subsides, and Jaehyun sees The Power immobile, even if he withdraws his hand. He looks around to check, just in case. Ten and Sicheng are still in their previous positions, and so is the masked figure. He then goes back to the task at hand, gripping The Power’s hand and slamming its arm to the surface before commanding The Time to un-freeze time.

When time resumes, Jaehyun had just slammed The Power’s hand on the surface. He hears Ten and Sicheng cheering, and Jaehyun grins. He did it. He withdraws his hand and stands up straight to meet The Power’s hand. “You gave me your word,” he says.

The Power steps backwards. Jaehyun can tell it did not take the defeat well, but nevertheless, it bows, and he takes it as a sign to seal the card. A flash of light, and The Power card is in Jaehyun’s hands.

“Good job!” Sicheng exclaims as he and Ten rush to his side. “It was a good idea, using The Time to trick The Power into losing.”

Jaehyun grins and shrugs. This is not the first card he captured, but this is probably the first card he captured without turning to his guardians for an overall solution. Pride swells in his chest as he thinks about it.

He won’t be incompetent. Not for long.

Speaking of which …

He looks around to find the masked figure, only to find out he has disappeared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The news about the upside-down penguin slide was featured in a small section of the newspaper two days later. The police continue to be baffled about it, but since the slide was returned to its original position, no one was claiming to be responsible, and the police have better things to do, the issue is soon forgotten. Jaehyun hears conspiracy theories of aliens in the hallways, but no one else talks about it as the days pass.

No card shows itself after that, giving Jaehyun a few days of peace. It gave him a lot of time to catch up on schoolwork. He feels a little guilty that he and Taeyong haven’t discussed their project for Principles of Marketing yet, and they have at least a month left before they submit their first draft to their professor.

Taeyong is already seated in his usual seat when Jaehyun arrives for class. His eyes are closed and his arms are crossed, chest rising rhythmically. Jaehyun gulps as he ends up staring, frozen in place. _God, he’s so cute._

He snaps out of his thoughts when he hears chatter from behind him, and the rest of his classmates start coming in. His face turns red, his gaze on the ground as he heads for his seat, the shifting of chairs causing Taeyong to wake up. “Is class starting?” he asks.

Jaehyun chuckles and shakes his head. “People just started coming in,” he says.

“Oh.” Taeyong blinks rapidly and straightens in his seat, fishing out a notebook and pen from his bag.

“So, hyung …” Jaehyun takes a deep breath. To be honest, he still doesn’t know how he should talk to Taeyong, even if their previous conversation was a good one. Still, it’s a matter of grades, so he should talk to Taeyong sooner or later.

Taeyong glances at him. “Yeah?”

“We should start talking about the project.”

“Oh, right!” Taeyong looks more awake now as he fishes out his phone. “I’ve actually collected some references a couple of days ago, and I wanted to talk to you about it.”

Jaehyun chuckles. “Cool,” he says as he fishes out his phone as well. “I’ve collected some references, too.”

They end up talking about the project for a good ten minutes until the bell rings. The teacher’s assistant then comes to the classroom to inform them their professor had called in sick and they can leave. Somehow Taeyong asks if they can talk some more about the project, and Jaehyun agrees, elatedly.

Jaehyun manages to stealthily text Ten; he has too many feelings he thinks he might explode if he doesn’t tell anyone. _“I’m having lunch with Lee Taeyong???”_

He wants to laugh at the reply, a series of random letters probably smashed in a frenzy, that it looks like Ten is the one more excited about this development than Jaehyun is.

He and Taeyong spend a good couple of hours discussing the project, both of them being particular about who is going to do what, as well as the flow of their research. Soon, they get tired of talking about schoolwork, and they spend the rest of the day talking about the most random things. Taeyong talks about photography with stars in his eyes, and he listens intently to Jaehyun’s stories in the student council. Taeyong gets sleepy and insists he treat Jaehyun to coffee in the study hall, to which Jaehyun agrees, hoping the grin on his face isn’t so obvious.

Taeyong only checks his cell phone when the barista gives them their coffee. “It’s already 4p.m.?” he says in disbelief.

Jaehyun’s eyes widen as he confirms the time on his cell phone as well. (There’s also one message from Ten, saying he and Johnny are going to get dinner. Jaehyun grins a little too widely at this development.) “You have something to do?” he asks.

“Not really, but I really wanna catch up on schoolwork.” Taeyong grimaces at that. “But we should meet outside class to work on the project.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

“Great.” Taeyong grins as his thumbs swiftly glide through his cell phone screen. “Give me your number, so we can discuss when and where we should meet.”

“Cool.” Jaehyun’s head is spinning as he types in Taeyong’s number, then dictates his own number for Taeyong to type in his phone. He barely hears Taeyong bid his goodbye until the older one’s hand is on his shoulder. He returns to reality to see Taeyong smile at him before waving and walking away.

Jaehyun stands there for god-knows how long until someone bumps into him, entering the coffee shop. He then realizes his coffee has already gone cold, that Taeyong has his number, and that they’ll be spending more time together, ignoring the fact that it’s for a school thing.

With those realizations, Jaehyun walks back to his apartment with a spring in his step.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _From: Taeyong_  
_3:36p.m.: Hey, Jaehyun! Are you free at 6 tom? For the project?_

 _From: Jaehyun_  
_3:40p.m.: Yup! Where do we meet? :)_

 _From: Taeyong_  
_3:42p.m.: Is the study hall ok? We can get dinner after? My treat. :)_

 _From: Jaehyun_  
_3:44p.m.: Study hall is ok. See you tom, hyung! :) :)_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fate probably likes playing tricks with him because two hours before he’s about to meet Taeyong, the foreboding feeling hits him.

He’s walking in the hallway when people around him starting slumping on the ground. He rushes towards a nearby student to check the pulse, only to find said student asleep. Further examination of the other people slumped on the ground leads Jaehyun to believe that this card can put anyone without magic to sleep.

“The Sleep,” Taeil concludes when Jaehyun meets him in the middle of the quadrangle. “It takes the form of a small sprite. It’s very quick but difficult to find.”

Jaehyun grits his teeth. This should not be happening. He’s supposed to meet Taeyong in the study hall. He’s supposed to play normal college student, not Clow Card Master, on one of the days he’s looking forward to. That card is going to pay. Big time. “I’ll track it by magic, then,” he says, closing his eyes.

Tracking a card is something he and Sicheng had been working on since he became the Clow Card Master. Some cards manifest themselves quickly, while others are more challenging. The sooner he perfects the art of tracking, then sensing and finding cards—and magical beings in general—will be easier.

“The Sleep,” he says, voice low. “Show yourself.”

He opens his eyes and sees a glowing, string-like trail. _Bingo._ He looks over his shoulder to see Taeil nodding. Jaehyun calls for his Sealing Wand and follows the trail.

The trail stops in the library, where several students and the librarian are hunched over their desks, fast asleep. He catches The Sleep skipping on the bookshelves—a short-haired periwinkle sprite with a six-point star on its forehead and an overlarge feathered ear on the left side of its head. “Hey!” Jaehyun yells.

The Sleep turns around and glances at Jaehyun’s Sealing Wand. Panic crosses its face, and it hops off the bookshelf and to the library door, waving his wand to send dust towards their direction.

Jaehyun manages to shield his eyes from the dust, but the distraction was enough for The Sleep to get a head’s start on his escape. Taeil isn’t so lucky, though, as he falls on the ground, fast asleep. Jaehyun swears to himself, but follows the glowing string-like trail The Sleep has left in its wake.

He skids to a corner, and collides with someone from the side—

“Watch where you’re going!” Jaehyun yells. He’s quick to realize that no one should be awake except for him, and for someone to be awake, they have to possess magic or—

He turns to the direction of the person who bumped him—it’s the masked figure. The masked figure frowns at him for a good second before glancing at the trail and quickening his pace.

Jaehyun quickens his pace as well as he tries to outrun the masked figure. There is no way he’s going to let that guy capture another card. Not on his watch.

The trail stops in the quadrangle, where The Sleep is twirling around, its wand up in the air as it scatters dust all over the area. The dust is reaching out in the open air, and if it keeps up, the whole city will be put to sleep.

“Windy!” Jaehyun summons, raising his Sealing Wand. “Put a stop to The Sleep!”

The Windy emerges from its card, flapping its wings towards The Sleep’s direction. The Sleep lets out a squeal as it shields itself from the wind, the dust flying to the opposite direction.

Jaehyun catches the masked figure taking out his sword, and he’s quick to think of the next move. “Shadow!” he calls. “Engulf The Sleep!”

The Shadow lunges for The Sleep and encloses it in a shadow-like blanket, restraining its movements. The card struggles to get out, but to no avail. Jaehyun smirks despite himself when the masked figure stops on his tracks, lowering his sword. He raises his own Sealing Wand and approaches The Sleep, who had given up struggling altogether. “Return to your power confined.”

A flash of light, and The Sleep card is on his hands. He can hear groans from people inside the rooms, wondering what had happened. Jaehyun is quick to turn his Sealing Wand back to its necklace form, but he sees that the masked figure hasn’t left yet. “The last time I saw you, you made an early exit,” he comments.

The masked figure makes a ‘tsk’ sound. “You’re getting stronger, I have to hand you that,” he says, arms crossed.

“Wait … what?” Jaehyun blinks. He was expecting some kind of insult, or a comment that he was just lucky … “Um … thanks, I guess. I’m working toward being stronger.”

There’s an upwards tug on the masked figure’s lips. “You better,” he says. “As much as I want to win the Final Judgment, I won’t accept that I won so easily.”

“If I’m getting stronger, you better keep up,” Jaehyun says with a chuckle. The voices start getting louder and louder, and more and more people are starting to wake up. “You better go. You don’t want to get found out.”

“Right …” The masked figure looks dazed at that, but with another puff of smoke, he disappears.

Jaehyun doesn’t know how long he has been standing there until Taeil approaches him, rubbing his eyes. “The disadvantage of taking on a human form is that you’re more sensitive to magic than you were in your guardian form,” he says with a sigh. “Well done on handling that on your own.”

“Thanks,” Jaehyun says with a grin. It’s true—he usually has Sicheng or Taeil by his side with a card encounter. This is the first time he had gone against a card on his own. He would like to celebrate, but—

But …

Jaehyun glances at his watch.

_Shit._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s not the end of the world, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun ignores Taeil’s comment as he clutches his phone, dumbly staring at Taeyong’s contact details. It’s been two hours since their planned meeting time, and Taeyong is nowhere to be seen. Maybe Taeyong had thought Jaehyun had stood up on him. Which is not the case, because The Sleep had showed up, and it’s a situation Jaehyun wasn’t able to control. But then again, meeting Taeyong should have been a good enough motivation for him to finish the job quickly.

So, yeah, he feels guilty about this.

“It’s okay, hyung. Jaehyun will get out of his misery eventually,” Ten says. “He just needs to actually call Taeyong to apologize.”

“But what if he’s mad at me?” Jaehyun asks grimly.

“You’ll never know until you actually call him~” Ten singsongs, his arm around Jaehyun. “Come on, Jung. You’ve taken on strong cards, this shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then why is this scarier than taking on Clow Cards?” Jaehyun’s thumb is shaking as he presses the Call button. But Ten is right. Jaehyun has to apologize, and maybe he and Taeyong can reschedule. The last thing he wants to happen is for someone to get mad at him for not showing up. It’s something Jaehyun tends to avoid, unless he has a really good reason. The Sleep is a good enough reason, but that’s not something he can just tell anyone …

Two rings, and Taeyong picks up. “Hello?”

“Hyung!” Jaehyun exclaims a little too loudly, and he elbows Ten for laughing a little too loudly. “Um … I’m here in the study hall. Something came up, so I just arrived, and I wasn’t able to call you ahead of time, so—”

“Oh my god,” Taeyong says, sounding surprised in the other line. “I totally forgot about our meeting! I’m so sorry! Something came up for my senior business project thing, and I wasn’t able to call you either.”

Jaehyun tries to process that information for a good few seconds, before a grin stretches to his face, and the heavy weight inside his chest has been lifted. Taeyong forgot, too. Which meant he didn’t have to worry about today, after all …

“Hello?” Taeyong’s voice brings him back out of his thoughts. “Still there?”

“Yeah,” Jaehyun replies. “I guess we both forgot.”

Taeyong chuckles. “Let’s reschedule?” he offers. “How about Saturday afternoon?”

Jaehyun is quick to check on his schedule for Saturday. “Saturday is good for me,” he says. “Study hall again?”

“Sure. See you!”

“Great! Bye, hyung.” Jaehyun hangs up, clutching his cell phone tightly. His cheeks hurt, but he doesn’t care one bit. At least he knows Taeyong isn’t mad.

But he swears to god, if a Clow Card shows up before his meeting with Taeyong, Jaehyun is going to riot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun is definitely going to riot.

He wakes up a little later that Saturday, having pulled an all-nighter to finish a paper. He was looking forward to the day ahead, only to step out of the apartment to find the whole area surrounded by mist. “No way!” he exclaims a little too loudly, startling a mother and child passing by.

He checks his phone for the news and finds out the entire town is surrounded by mist. Even weathermen are confused with the phenomena, as it is unusual for mist to occur in spring. Jaehyun knows all too well that this isn’t natural phenomena …

He and Ten meet Sicheng in the landlord’s office. “It’s The Mist,” the guardian says. “Not only can it create a blanket of fog, but it can eat through almost every metal, including stone and metal.”

“The local government issued a statement for everyone to stay indoors until they can get to the bottom of this,” Ten announces as he reads information from his phone. “You gotta get that card before it does anything dangerous.”

Jaehyun nods as he reaches for the doorknob. “I’m on it,” he says as he makes his way out.

His phone beeps just as he turns a corner, heading to the source of the magic. He pauses on his tracks when he finds Taeyong’s name in the notifications. _“There’s this weird mist all over town. Landlord says not to get out. Resched again? :(“_

Jaehyun swears to god The Mist is going to get it. _“Sure, hyung. Let’s talk about this during class.”_

He runs until he finds the trail, leading to one of the town’s open spaces, near a factory. He’s a few feet away when a gust of wind strikes in his direction, almost throwing him backward. He recognizes that magic anywhere. The masked figure must have had a head start in trying to capture the card.

Sure enough, he finds the masked figure standing on top of one of the warehouse containers, his sword out as he dodges a blast of mist in his direction. He mutters something before a blast of wind strikes to where the mist comes from, but nothing happens afterwards. The Mist must have avoided the attack.

“Jaehyun, look out!”

Jaehyun looks behind him and sees the thick banner of green fog heading his direction. He helps and calls out, “Shield!”, just in time for a shield to appear in front of him. The Mist hits the shield upon impact, the fog dispersing in different directions.

Jaehyun lowers the shield just in time for another blast of wind, this time throwing him back. His side lands on the rough ground, and he winces at the impact. Sicheng and Ten rush to his side, though he’s able to get back up with no problem.

“How are you gonna beat that?” Ten asks.

Jaehyun frowns as he tries to come up with a plan. His gaze goes to the stack of warehouse containers, and the metaphorical lightbulb comes out. If he can’t challenge it in close distance, then he’ll attack from above. “Fly!” he commands, and he springs atop the warehouse containers.

The masked figure looks up at him as Jaehyun lands on the containers. He deflects another attack from The Mist before it charges towards Jaehyun’s direction. Jaehyun takes a deep breath and raises his Sealing Wand, ready to call out—

The Mist strikes for the container he’s standing on, snaking its way towards the rest of the containers below. Suddenly, Jaehyun finds himself falling, falling, and the Sealing Wand had come loose from his grip—

“Jaehyun!” Ten screams.

 _No—_ Jaehyun closes his eyes and prepares for impact on the ground—

The impact on the ground doesn’t come, only soft, familiar warmth below him. He hears a groan, and Jaehyun rolls over before he can further harm whoever saved him. “T-Thanks …” he says. “I might have broken a lot of ribs if it weren’t for you …”

His eyes widen, when he sees a rumple of tuxedo right where he landed, and the masked figure groans once more as he sits up. How the mask is still on his face is a mystery to Jaehyun. The masked figure grimaces, but he manages to stand up. “What were you thinking? You know The Mist can eat through metal, right?”

Jaehyun frowns. “I thought attacking from above might help …” he says, now feeling stupid over his idea.

“Look out!” The masked figure lunges and pushes him to the side just as The Mist attacks once more, hitting another stack of warehouse containers.

Jaehyun grips his Sealing Wand just in time for another idea to come to mind. “Shadow!” he commands.

There’s a scream, and The Mist is blanketed by the Shadow, its attempts to break free futile. Jaehyun is quick on his feet as he commands the card back to its original form, and then it’s over.

Jaehyun’s shoulders relax as the card floats down his hands. Ten and Sicheng are beside him once more, congratulating him. He would have felt accomplished with capturing the card if his plan had backfired …

He spots the masked figure making his way out of the open space, and he yells a “Hey!” before he can stop himself.

Jaehyun thinks it’s stupid of him to do this, but he shrugs, and approaches the masked figure, holding out The Mist to him. “I believe this is yours,” he says.

He hears Ten and Sicheng’s collective “What?!” from behind him. Meanwhile, the masked figure’s jaw drops. Jaehyun would have wanted to laugh, but he’s serious about this.

The masked figure closes his jaw after a couple of seconds before he speaks up. “ _You_ subdued the card,” he points out. “It belongs to you.”

“I know.” Jaehyun smiles. “But I couldn’t have done it if you hadn’t saved me back there. So I owe you one.”

The masked figure stares from him as if he had grown horns.

“Come on, take it.” Jaehyun reaches for the masked figure’s hand and places the card on top of it. “And thanks again.” He waves at the masked figure before signaling for Ten and Sicheng that it’s time for them to leave.

“Are you crazy?” Sicheng asks when they’re out of earshot. “You just surrendered ownership of a card just like that?”

Jaehyun shrugs. “He saved me back there.”

“Still! One less card lessens your chances in the Final Judgment. You can’t give your opponent the upper hand.”

“Leave him be, Sicheng, that’s Jaehyun for you,” Ten says with a chuckle. “He’s kind to everyone, even his rivals.”

Sicheng looks like he wants to argue, but he ends up sighing. “I hope you’re making the right decision, Jaehyun,” he says. “You’re going to need it, when the Final Judgment comes.”

At the back of his mind, Jaehyun asks the same question. Every card is crucial for the Final Judgment, and he had just given up one card to his rival. But for some reason, it makes sense for him. The masked figure saved his life, and he needs to show his thanks.

Maybe someday, that show of thanks will come to help him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He finds Taeyong snoozing in his seat once more when he arrives for marketing class. This time, he really does fish out his phone and take a picture. The phone makes a shutter sound, startling Taeyong awake. Jaehyun feels his face warm up, quickly stuffing his phone back in his pocket. _Whoops._

“What was that?” Taeyong asks groggily, blinking rapidly as he looks around the classroom.

“What’s what?” Jaehyun asks innocently, hoping that he doesn’t get caught.

“There was the sound of a camera shutter.” Taeyong yawns. “Or maybe I just dreamt of it or … something.”

“You probably just dreamt it, hyung,” Jaehyun chuckles nervously, hoping the blush in his cheeks subsides. “Are you always sleeping before class?”

“All-nighters. Business project,” Taeyong mumbles, sitting up straight once more. “Sucks that the weird mist happened, huh? You okay?”

“I’m fine. But the project …”

“Ugh, that project.” Taeyong groans, fishing out his notebook. “Every time we plan to meet, something always happens.”

“It sucks, big time,” Jaehyun says with a nod.

“So, I was thinking.” Jaehyun catches Taeyong biting his bottom lip. “Are you free after class? We could work on it later. I mean, if we can’t work on it together whenever we plan to meet, we might as well make unplanned study sessions.”

Jaehyun laughs at that. “You know what?” he says. “I was thinking the same thing.”

Jaehyun ends up following Taeyong in the study hall, where they lay down all the material they’ve researched and start making the first draft. They are both very particular about details, making sure everything they put in the draft can be backed up with cold, hard evidence that the professor will not even dare ask follow-up questions. They actually finish after three hours, three days before the deadline, and the sun had already set.

“We actually did it!” Taeyong heaves a sigh of relief, stretching as they head out of the study hall. “What do you think we’ll get?”

“I’m very confident we’ll get an A+,” Jaehyun says with a grin, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“I like your confidence,” Taeyong says with a chuckle.

“We worked hard for it, and we deserved it, right?” Jaehyun checks his watch. He has an early class tomorrow, and he should be home making dinner for him and Ten. His heart sinks, because he’d like to spend a bit more time with Taeyong, even though he knows there’s still the rest of the semester. “Well … I gotta go. I’ll see you in class, hyung.”

“Wait.” Taeyong grabs his wrist, and lord god, Jaehyun feels like he’s burning. The older one bites his bottom lip nervously, before saying, “Let’s get dinner.”

Jaehyun almost doesn’t hear it because his heart is pumping too loudly it reaches his eardrums. He blinks rapidly. “Huh?”

“Let’s get dinner,” Taeyong repeats, a tinge of pink in his cheeks. “I mean, we worked very hard on the first draft, so we should at least unwind, right?” He pauses. “Unless you have other plans …?”

Jaehyun knows he can always text Ten into eating out later, and his best friend will understand. He shakes his head. “Not really,” he says. “Sure, let’s get dinner. Where do you have in mind?”

Taeyong takes him to this Japanese restaurant that’s a little too fancy from the restaurants Jaehyun is used to going. Yet, it’s Taeyong who fidgets in his seat as they wait for their order. Jaehyun thinks this awfully feels like a date, but he stops himself into expecting too much. This is to celebrate the finishing of their first draft. Nothing wrong with splurging, right?

But he should at least say something because the silence is getting awkward. He takes a deep breath. “So …”

He says it the same time Taeyong says, “So …”

The two of them blink at each other before bursting into laughter.

Somehow, the conversation flows freely after that, much to his relief. Jaehyun finds out he and Taeyong share a common interest in cooking, and they exchange tips and recommended recipes. He likes how Taeyong’s eyes would light up whenever he talks about photography, the best moments he’s had as a photographer, the places he would like to go. Jaehyun, in turn, talks about the best experiences he’s had volunteering and organizing events in the student council. He’s pretty sure they’ve talked about this last time, but he can’t find himself to care.

“Don’t you get tired of it?” Taeyong asks, chin on hand, elbow propped on the table. “I’m sure not everyone appreciates your work.”

“Not everyone,” Jaehyun repeats. “But if you look at the reactions of the people who matter, then the criticisms don’t matter much.”

Taeyong chuckles. “Who would have known you’re a sophomore, with the way you talk?”

“And no offense, hyung, but sometimes you don’t act like a senior.”

“None taken. I get that a lot.” And the two share a laugh.

Jaehyun can’t remember the rest of their conversation, but he found himself laughing and sharing a healthy debate over some topics. He had expected to have fun with Taeyong, but not to this extent. Well, it’s a good thing. Even if nothing happens between them, at least he’s sure Taeyong would make for a good friend even if they don’t share the same class next semester.

Sadly, the night had to end. Tomorrow is a busy day for both of them—both for schoolwork and club commitments. Jaehyun spends a good five minutes insisting that he pays half of the bill, while Taeyong insists he’s a senior and he had invited Jaehyun anyway. Taeyong ends up winning.

“I had fun,” Jaehyun says as they stand up to leave. “Thanks, hyung.”

Taeyong smiles, and Jaehyun’s heart flutters. “Me too,” he says. “We should do this more often.”

“Yeah, totally! Our second draft isn’t until two months, but I think I know this place with good Japanese food—”

“Jaehyun.” Taeyong steps in front of him, and he’s fiddling with the collar of his shirt. “I don’t mean just after we submit a school requirement.”

Jaehyun blinks. “Oh?” he asks. “What do you mean?”

He watches Taeyong’s face fall, as if he had expected Jaehyun to know what he means. In a panic, he racks his brain for an interpretation of that statement. Taeyong doesn’t just want to hang out with him after they submit a school requirement, so—

_Oh._

_My god?_

“Oh,” he voices out. “Sure. I mean, I’d like to hang out with you, hyung.”

Taeyong’s shoulders relax, and his expression brightens. Jaehyun wishes he has his phone out so he can take a picture of it and probably show it to Ten and roll over his bed with so many feelings later. “Okay, great. I’ll look forward to that.”

Jaehyun smiles back. “Me, too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, and the days that follow, Jaehyun thinks that he wants to pinch himself. It’s the stuff of his imagination and daydreams, that it couldn’t be real. But every pinch hurts every time, and Ten tells him to make the most of it.

So, he does. He and Taeyong meet to work on their project, but they now meet in the cafeteria, or for dinner or coffee. Sometimes Ten and Johnny join them, the two being blatantly obvious that they’re more than friends now.

(Ten confirms this information to him when Jaehyun points it out. He speaks of it as if he’s talking about the weather, but there’s no denying the smile playing in his lips. Jaehyun is genuinely happy for his best friend.)

Capturing the Clow Cards seems to be in smooth sailing, too. Some cards still prove to be a challenge, and sometimes the masked figure would steal a card or two, but Jaehyun finds this … thing to be less of a burden and more of a … duty. (And the masked figure starts becoming more tolerable.)

 _Duty._ Yeah, maybe that’s the perfect way to call it.

Right now, he’s more confused about him and Taeyong. They have been hanging out more often than usual, and most of the time, it’s just the two of them. Jaehyun doesn’t want to expect, but he doesn’t want questions hanging either.

Ten tells him to ask Taeyong. It’s the most obvious thing to do, but that doesn’t make things any easier.

He and Taeyong end up working together in the school festival. Jaehyun, no surprises here, is in charge of everything, while Taeyong is the volunteer photographer. It’s a surprise that Taeyong would also step in to help with the logistics, from the set-up down to talking to the performers. Jaehyun knows he can handle it well, but he appreciates the help nonetheless.

“He never goes out of his way before,” Johnny points out when Jaehyun relays this information to him. They’re in the student council office, pulling an all-nighter so they can finalize last-minute details for the school festival, which is tomorrow. The rest of the officers have decided to sleep over the office as well, but had gone out to order take-out. Jaehyun mentions that Taeyong has pulled some strings so that this popular indie band can come and be the final act at the last minute.

“He doesn’t?” Jaehyun blinks. He had only encountered Taeyong last year in the summer festival, and since Jaehyun was an assistant to Johnny, he had not seen Taeyong work beyond documenting the event through photos. He thought it was natural of Taeyong to help around …

“Maybe he found an inspiration.” Johnny smirks at him. Jaehyun is about to go dismiss whatever Johnny is implying, when the rest of the officers arrive with their food.

Jaehyun doesn’t dwell on it too much on the day of the festival. After all, there are more important things to do than dwell on what could this mean. He can brood over it later. Right now, he has to make sure that the event is running smoothly.

And it does. Jaehyun is grateful for a student council that always has his back, and a group of volunteers who go beyond what’s required of them. He catches classmates and even teachers telling him he did a great job, and Jaehyun beams the whole day.

He doesn’t think of Taeyong until he runs into the older one in the long stretch of booths. Taeyong is in his element, snapping away enthusiastically at everything. He stops a couple of people and asks if he can take their pictures, most of them agreeing right away. Sometimes Taeyong would stop and take a shot of the sky and some random tree, and Jaehyun is sure the final output is going to look great.

He’s busy texting when he hears the camera shutter near him. He looks, and his eyes widen when he sees Taeyong lowering his camera, lips turned up to a smirk. “Hey,” the older one greets.

Jaehyun feels the air around him grow warmer when he realizes what Taeyong has done. He laughs nervously. “Got a good shot of me, hyung?”

“You bet I do.” Taeyong grins and nudges for him to come forward to have a look at the gallery. “Take a look, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun does as he’s told. It’s weird to be staring at himself, his forehead scrunched because it was at that time he was talking to Seulgi about some minor changes they have to do in the program flow. Still, the lighting, the angle … one would mistake it for a professional shot if they don’t know who the photographer is.

“Good, huh?”

Jaehyun looks and regrets doing so. Has Taeyong been this close a couple of minutes ago. His gaze turns to Taeyong’s lips, soft and plump. He wonders what it would feel like if …

“Jaehyun?”

 _Whoops._ Jaehyun blinks rapidly and steps back. “I-I-It’s good,” he stammers, praying to the gods that he’s anywhere but here right now. “I-I mean, you’re really good, hyung.”

Taeyong smiles, a little softer this time. He closes his camera and puts the lens cap back on, shoving it inside his bag. “What time are you free later?” he asks.

“Me?” he asks. He racks his brain, trying to remember his schedule for the day. “I’ll be here the whole day. I might head home late because everyone else will be cleaning up after the event—”

“No, you’re not leading the clean-up later.” Jaehyun looks around and sees Johnny and Ten approaching, his student council president’s arm around his best friend’s shoulder. Ten looks over the moon. “I’ll take care of it.”

“What?” Jaehyun is not sure if he heard right. “But, hyung—”

Johnny raises his free hand to interrupt. “You already worked hard on organizing the entire event, Jaehyun,” he says. “It’s time for you to relax and enjoy your hard work.” He grins. “You deserve it.”

“Hyung—”

“By the power vested in me as president by 85 percent of the student body, I hereby order you to rest, or so help me god, I won’t allow you to organize another event again.” Johnny says it in the straightest expression possible, but the words send Ten and Taeyong clutching their stomachs in laughter.

Jaehyun can’t resist laughing, too. “If you say so, Mr. President,” he says with a shrug.

Suddenly, there’s warmth around his wrist, and he looks to see Taeyong tugging him forward. “Come on,” he says, with a tilt of his head. “Let’s enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

The rest of the day feels like a blur, yet Jaehyun wishes the day wouldn’t end. He and Taeyong go through each and every booth, playing the games and being bad at some of them in the process. The only time they won was when Taeyong hit the target in one of the dart booths, and each of them split the twin teddy bears given to them.

This awfully feels like a date, but whether Taeyong thinks of the same thing is another question.

Then comes that dreaded foreboding feeling, and the dreaded text from Sicheng. _“I hate to interrupt your organizer duties, but I sense a Clow Card.”_

“For the love of god …” Jaehyun mutters. He was having a good time, and now this …

“Everything okay?” Taeyong asks, forehead scrunched in concern.

“U-Uh …” Jaehyun quickly stuffs his phone back in his pocket. “Johnny texted. Some emergency back at the office that he can’t handle without me.”

“Oh.” Taeyong’s shoulders sag, and Jaehyun’s chest tightens.

“I’ll come back!” Jaehyun blurts out. “This will be quick, I promise.”

“Okay,” Taeyong chuckles, relaxing a little. “Text me when you’re done. We can meet up somewhere.”

“Got it.” Jaehyun hopes his smile didn’t come off as a grimace as he waves Taeyong goodbye.

Sicheng must have noticed his bad mood when they meet up in the university park, strangely empty given it’s one of the most popular spots in the university. “Did I interrupt something important?” he asks, looking like a wounded puppy.

“It’s not your fault,” Jaehyun says with a sigh. “What card is it?”

“The Glow,” Sicheng says, a soft smile on his face. “It’s a gentle being. It’s not going to cause any harm.”

As if on cue, the park starts glowing a bit brighter. When Jaehyun looks around, glowing orbs start falling slowly down the trees, creating delightful warmth around him. Jaehyun senses the card, but it’s not the same foreboding feeling he had earlier. Sicheng is right, and it’s a relief. He’s tired of fighting, at least for now.

“Glow,” he whispers. “Show yourself to me.”

One of the orbs grows bigger until a fairy with a glowing tail appears before him. The Glow smiles and floats closer to him, giving him a small bow. Jaehyun takes it as his cue to capture the card. Soon, The Glow card is in his hands, the image of the fairy still smiling at him.

“Well,” Sicheng says as he approaches, “that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Jaehyun smiles, his irritation from earlier slowly disappearing. Suddenly, an idea comes to his mind. “Hey, Sicheng?”

“Yeah?” Sicheng tilts his head at him in curiosity.

“I want to use the card,” Jaehyun begins, “but it’s not for capturing another card or saving the city. Would that be selfish of me?”

Sicheng stares at him for a good second before he burst into soft chuckles. “Oh, Jaehyun,” he says when he has calmed down. “You’ve worked hard these past few months. You’re allowed to be selfish every now and then.”

“You think so?”

“I think Taeil would agree, too.” Sicheng smiles. He pats Jaehyun on the shoulder. “I’ll see you back home.”

Jaehyun watches Sicheng walk away, when his phone rings. He jumps at the sound then panics as he fishes it out of his pocket. Taeyong’s name is on the caller ID. _Here we go._ He takes a deep breath and answers the call. “Hyung?”

“How are you?” Taeyong asks.

Jaehyun hopes the breath he had just let out doesn’t sound shaky from the other line. “I’m fine,” he says. “Just finished, actually.”

“Great! Where should I meet you?”

“I’m walking towards the park. It’s strangely quiet here …”

“Park? Okay, I’ll meet you there!”

Jaehyun’s heart starts pounding furiously against his chest. What he’s about to do can unfold just the way he had imagined it to be, or it can backfire. Either way, there’s no turning back now. He looks at The Glow card once more. “I leave it up to you.”

The Glow card is bathed in light, and the fairy emerges once more. It flies and circles the park, the glowing orbs appearing all over the place once more. Jaehyun prays that no one else walks in, because that would definitely ruin the moment, and that’s the last thing he wants to happen.

He hears the sound of footsteps from behind him, just as The Glow returns to its card form. He turns around, and he feels his heart stop as he sees Taeyong’s figure getting nearer and nearer. Then the older one stops, eyes widening and jaw hanging open as he looks at his surroundings. “Woah,” is all he says after he seems to have taken it all in.

“Cool, isn’t it?” Jaehyun laughs nervously as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Seems the volunteers went all out with this one.”

“Looks like it.” Taeyong’s gaze is still all over the place as he approaches Jaehyun. “You really worked hard for this event, haven’t you?”

Jaehyun shrugs, his cheeks red. “I couldn’t have done it without people helping me,” he says. “Including you. Even if you didn’t have to. So, thanks.” He wants to say something else, but the words are slowly dying in the tip of his tongue. He can’t do this. He may take on the strongest cards by Clow Reed, but this is more terrifying.

“So …” Taeyong stuffs his hands in his own pockets. He leaves the question hanging, as he looks at Jaehyun, hoping to finish his trail of thought.

Jaehyun gulps. Here he goes. “Hyung, I …” he starts. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.” Taeyong blinks.

“Well, I, uh.” Jaehyun wants to punch himself. Why can’t words come out of his mouth? “Well, it’s not exactly a question, but we’ve been hanging out quite often, and not just for schoolwork, and I was wondering if …”

“If …?”

“Um …” Jaehyun feels his face flame up. “I was wondering if it’s going to be just like this? I mean, we’ve known each other for three months now, and it isn’t much, but maybe, I don’t want to assume, but—” He stops. When he can’t talk, he can word vomit. Great. Just great.

Taeyong’s expression changes from puzzled to downright amused. Now all Jaehyun wants is to run away, pack his bags, and take the next train to … Guatemala. Or somewhere far, far away.

“I-I’m sorry, hyung! This is apparently a lot harder to explain than I thought, and—”

He stops when Taeyong presses a finger on his lips. The older one is laughing, and Jaehyun is seriously considering moving to Guatemala now …

“You’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

Jaehyun wants to scream at this point, but the red flush on his face is probably a dead giveaway right now.

Taeyong lowers his finger, and he takes a step closer. He reaches for Jaehyun’s hand, soft and warm upon touch. “I think we’re on the same page,” he says, his smile shy. “Let’s go out. This time, I’m calling it a date.”

He has to be dreaming. It’s too good to be true. This is the stuff of his daydreams, where Taeyong actually likes him back and asks him out.

Taeyong squeezes his hand, and Jaehyun realizes that he’s not dreaming.

“This might be a great time to say something.” Taeyong interrupts his trail of thought, his cheeks pink as well. Or was it the glow all over the park?

Jaehyun laughs, or maybe giggles. It’s embarrassing, but he’s too happy to care at this point. He looks at Taeyong in the eyes, and feels his chest warm up. “Yes, let’s go out.”

“On a date?” Taeyong asks, as if to make sure.

Jaehyun nods. “On a date.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun barely realizes that summer is starting, until he feels the air grow warmer and warmer, and the student council officers start talking of plans to go to the beach. Johnny suddenly suggests that the student council should go to the nearby beach for their second term planning seminar, and that he plans to bring Ten along. “You should bring your boyfriend, too,” he tells Jaehyun with a smirk.

Boyfriend. He and Taeyong haven’t put a label on it yet, and he’s not in a rush to do so. They’ve gone out on dates, and there was hand-holding on several occasions, but they haven’t talked about making it serious. It has been more than a month, after all.

Still, the thought of him and Taeyong in a beach sounds nice. “I’ll ask him when he’s free,” he tells Johnny.

Taeyong brightens up at the mention of the beach. “I can go,” he says. They’re walking in the hallways, and Taeyong lazily swings their intertwined hands. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been in the beach.”

“Johnny hyung says we can stay in his uncle’s rest house,” Jaehyun says. “I’m not sure if it’s a beach house or a seaside mansion, actually.”

Taeyong hums, a small smile on his lips. “If that’s the case, we could end up staying inside instead of outside,” he remarks, to which Jaehyun laughs.

But then comes the foreboding feeling. Jaehyun freezes in his tracks and takes a look around. He finds the magic trail leading outside the campus. Just in time, his phone rings, no doubt from Sicheng or Taeil.

“Everything okay?” Taeyong asks, his forehead scrunched in concern.

“Yeah, I just …” Jaehyun racks his brain, trying to quickly come up with an excuse. This is not something that he can easily tell a guy he had just started dating. It’ll be a lot to digest. “I forgot I have to consult something with operations management professor for my business proposal.”

“You, forgetting something? That’s new.” Taeyong chuckles. “Do you want me to come with?”

Nope. Definitely not. Jaehyun shakes his head. “I’ll be fine,” he says. “This consultation might take a while.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Taeyong lets go of his hand, and they bid their goodbyes. Taeyong has barely turned a corner, yet Jaehyun already misses the warmth of his hand.

But he shakes that thought away as quickly as it comes. He has a card to capture.

He meets Sicheng on the small forest near the city hall. The guardian is looking up at the sky, as if the card is somewhere floating upwards. “I can’t tell what card it is,” Sicheng tells him with a frown.

Jaehyun’s face falls. “It’s a strong one, isn’t it?” he asks. He already has his Sealing Wand out.

“Definitely. Better get ready.”

There’s a rustle from one of the bushes nearby, and Jaehyun puts on a defensive stance. The figure from the bushes emerges, however, and Jaehyun relaxes. It’s the masked figure, looking as cautious as he is. “Found the card?” he asks.

These days, the masked figure has been less of a rival and more of a … partner, if Jaehyun can call him that. Jaehyun shakes his head. “Not yet, but I can feel capturing this card isn’t going to be easy,” he says.

The masked figure nods, and he takes out his sword as response.

Suddenly, Jaehyun hears it—a beam-like sound, soft at first. He looks around and up just as the sound starts getting louder and louder, and his eyes widen as he sees a beam of light heading towards his direction.

“Look out!” the masked figure exclaims, and he lunges and pushes Jaehyun to the side. The beam of light comes down, a loud explosion following its wake. Sicheng yells from a nearby boulder, telling them to go there, and the two of them manage to rush behind it just before another beam comes for them.

“It’s The Shot,” Sicheng says, glancing over the boulder every now and then, the forest punctuated by silence. “Definitely dangerous. You could get injured if you come near it.”

Jaehyun thinks of the cards he has captured. The best cards used in combat are The Sword. He can definitely use The Shield to dodge the attack. When worse comes to worse (and he sincerely hopes it won’t come to that), he can always use The Time to stop time and make a quick escape.

He’s about to tell Sicheng his idea when the masked figure emerges from the boulder and lunges straight for The Shot. He takes out his sword and summons a bolt of lightning, striking as The Shot launches a beam at him. The beam barely hits him on the side, yet the masked figure yelps, rolling to the side.

Jaehyun winces as he watches the scene unfold. He hopes he knows what the masked figure is doing …

“You have to act, Jaehyun,” Sicheng says, reminding him that he’s the Clow Card Master and he shouldn’t let someone else take action to capture the card.

“Right.” Jaehyun sneaks another glance out of the boulder, the masked figure still busy trying to take down The Shot. His idea could work. If not, well … he hopes he has the time to take cover again.

He places a hand on the boulder, and propels himself back on the scene. He calls upon The Sword and The Earth, sending a force of the ground towards its direction, sending The Shot flying backwards.

The masked figure glances at him, a small smile on his face. It sends Jaehyun off-guard; this is the first time he had seen the guy smile, and that smile almost looks familiar …

From his peripheral vision, Jaehyun sees the card shooting into action once more, headed towards the masked figure—

“Look out!” Jaehyun lunges for the masked figure, throwing him away from the attack. The Shot, however, scratches through his back, and Jaehyun cries out at the searing pain.

They both land on the ground, Jaehyun rolling over to the side, the pain still strong. When he props himself on his elbows, the masked figure had disappeared. He looks around until he finds him, sword raised as he calls out a card. “Mirror!”

The Shot transforms into another bolt of light headed towards the masked figure’s way just as a mirror comes out of nowhere. The beam of light bounces off the mirror, sending The Shot back. Finally, it shows its true form, an elf with red and yellow hair and large, pink eyes. The masked figure raises his sword once more and commands The Shot to return to its card form.

And just like that, it’s over.

“Jaehyun!” Jaehyun hears shuffling towards his direction, and suddenly, Sicheng is pulling him up. “That’s a pretty bad wound you got there.”

Jaehyun winces as he gets up, the wound on his back still searing. “Yeah, but I’m alive, aren’t I?”

“Can you walk?”

“Of course, I can. It’s just my back.” Jaehyun winces again as he straightens his stance. How he’s going to explain this to the doctor later is still something he has to figure out.

He doesn’t realize the masked figure is still there until a hand with a card is extended to him. Jaehyun blinks and meets the masked figure’s gaze, eyes hidden in the mask. What’s prominent, however, is the pink across his cheeks.

“Take it,” the masked figure says in a low voice that Jaehyun almost doesn’t hear it.

Jaehyun stares at the card, then at the masked figure.

The pink in the masked figure’s cheeks turns into a darker shade. “Now we’re even,” he says. Sighing, he grabs Jaehyun’s hand, turns it so that the palm is facing upward, and slaps the card there. Before Jaehyun can reply, he quickly turns around and disappears.

“Well,” Sicheng says, dumbfounded. “Looks like I was quick to judge him.”

Jaehyun continues staring at the card, barely realizing a smile is creeping to his face.

Now, they’re even.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately, the back wound is nothing major. There’ll be scars when the wound has closed, but it will be gone in a month or two. The doctor had bandaged it, yet his back smarts whenever he walks.

“What happened to you?” Taeyong asks. He has a concerned frown as he walks with Jaehyun in the hallways two days later.

Jaehyun tries to grin, but the pain makes him grimace. “Minor accident,” he says. “No big deal. The doctor says the wound in my back will heal in a month or two.”

Taeyong is still frowning. His hand reaches for Jaehyun’s back, gently rubbing it. Jaehyun feels goosebumps all over his body. “Still, don’t force yourself.”

“I know.”

The wound on his back recovers more quickly than the doctor anticipated, just in time for the beach trip. Jaehyun is only too relieved to leave behind schoolwork, and hopefully Clow Card Master duties, and climb aboard the van Johnny had rented and to kick back and relax.

Jaehyun hasn’t felt this semblance of normalcy in a long time. Even if he has school, there’s always a card to capture one way or another. This time, he relaxes as Yuta and Hansol argue about what radio station to tune into until Johnny, the designated driver, shuts them up and opens his Spotify playlist. Ten would fuss over Johnny every thirty minutes, handing him a drink or snacks. Taeyong is content to sleep, head leaning on Jaehyun’s shoulder, and Jaehyun doesn’t mind the least bit.

Sicheng texts him every now and then, asking if he’ll be fine without his guardians. (“A Clow Card could show up there.”) Jaehyun would always reply that he’ll be okay. After all, he had gone stronger these past few days, and he can most likely manage a Clow Card capture without his guardians around.

But, if anything, he seriously hopes a Clow Card won’t show up on his day off.

Johnny wasn’t exaggerating when Johnny said his uncle’s beach house looks more like a seaside mansion, yet it’s the cool breeze and the sight of the sea that makes Jaehyun relax easily. They take two trips from the parking lot to bring in both their luggage and their groceries, which they’ll use for dinner later. Johnny then takes them to a tour of the house, from the living room and kitchen, to the rooms upstairs, each with a balcony so the guests can enjoy the view from the privacy of their own room.

Johnny and Ten take one room, and so do Hansol and Yuta. He and Taeyong opted for separate rooms. It seems to be a silent agreement between the two of them that this is something that they shouldn’t rush, and Jaehyun is thankful for that.

A quick nap in their respective rooms, and they’re all set. They change into their swimwear and practically run towards the beach, Hansol and Yuta chasing after the waves. Johnny has the beach volleyball ready, and Jaehyun joins his and Ten’s team, while Taeyong joins Hansol and Yuta’s. Johnny, Ten, and Jaehyun win, and the losing team had to rush to the nearby grocery store to buy ice cream. That leaves them to lie on their towels and bask under the sun.

“You and Taeyong,” Johnny says, “look good for each other.”

“Of course, they do!” Ten says. “I mean, look at them! They’re both very good-looking,”

“That’s not what I meant, Ten,” Johnny chuckles.

Jaehyun props up his elbows and pulls himself up. Johnny is sitting up already, running a hand through his hair. “And what exactly do you mean, hyung?” he asks.

Johnny hums thoughtfully. “How should I put it?” he says. After a few seconds, he shrugs. “I can’t explain it properly, but it seems like you two make a great team. Or something.”

“You make it sound like they’re a tag team duo!” Ten comments with a laugh, shifting to Johnny’s side of the towel.

“It’s hard to find the words to explain, okay!” Johnny says defensively, though he doesn’t complain when Ten invades his space, merely scoots over and throws an arm around Ten’s shoulders.

Jaehyun would have gagged at the incoming PDA if it hadn’t sunk in what Johnny had probably meant. Johnny is one of the charismatic guys that everyone admires and aspires to be, yet turns soft whenever Ten is around. Ten, meanwhile, is that ball of sunshine around everyone, but seems to shine brighter around Johnny.

Jaehyun looks at his two friends, and yeah, maybe he gets it.

It starts to rain when Taeyong, Hansol, and Yuta come back with ice cream. Jaehyun thinks it’s just his imagination at first, but soon the sky darkens, and the rain drops start to fall stronger than ever. Johnny tells them to quickly pack their things and run back to the beach house.

“Why is it raining in the summer?” Hansol asks in a huff as they are back in the beach house, wet but safe. By then, the rain has gotten stronger, pattering strongly against the window.

Jaehyun glances at Ten, just as Ten glances at him. He feels that foreboding feeling, a sign that a Clow Card is responsible for this. He has to sneak out of the beach house and capture it, before it does more harm than good.

Jaehyun excuses himself in his room, telling everyone that he’s going to take a nap and he shouldn’t be disturbed. Ten sneaks in his room a few minutes later, just as Jaehyun fishes out his phone to call Taeil.

“It’s The Storm card,” Taeil says when Jaehyun finishes explaining the phenomena. “It’s a dangerous card, Jaehyun, but you have to capture it quickly. It may be raining now, but who knows when it will completely strike into a storm and put everyone in danger.”

“I know, I’ll handle it.” Jaehyun ends the call and walks to the window of his room. He can feel the strong gust of wind accompanying the stronger burst of rain. He has to capture it as soon as possible. He looks at Ten, who is about to say something, but he interrupts. “I need you to stay here,” he says. “I need an alibi.”

Ten purses his lips in protest, but he nods. “Be careful out there,” he says. “And call me if you need any help.”

“Got it.” Jaehyun pats Ten on the shoulder before opening the window. He then calls out his Sealing Wand and summons for The Fly to take him out of the beach house.

Jaehyun winces as the strong gust of wind almost blows him back. Fortunately, The Fly is able to hold him in place, guiding him as he flies towards the trail of magic that suddenly manifests itself. The trail of magic stretches itself towards the cliff at the far end of the beach. “Fly,” he commands. “Take me to The Storm.”

The Storm looks at him, eyes wide in childlike wonder. However, it’s quick to disappear as its expression changes to something darker, its hands moving down so it would point to his direction.

Jaehyun feels the wind getting stronger and stronger, yet he doesn’t expect it to strike at his direction, the impact knocking off his Sealing Wand. His body numbs as he reaches out his hand to lunge for it, but another gust of wind and rain knocks him back, harshly.

Jaehyun feels himself slipping down and down until all he sees is the length of the cliff and then the sky. He tries to call The Fly again, but the Sealing Wand wouldn’t return to his grasp. He tries calling The Windy, The Sheild, anything, but he keeps falling faster and faster, and soon he’s running out of hope.

_Is this it?_

_This is how it ends?_

He thinks of the many cards he still has to capture, not to mention the Final Judgment. It looks like it’s never going to happen.

He thinks of Ten, who’s waiting for his safe return. He hopes Ten isn’t going to feel guilty if Jaehyun doesn’t return. He wishes he could have said something more, like how grateful he is to Ten for always having his back. He’s the perfect ally and friend, magic or no magic.

He thinks of Sicheng and Taeil, his guardians who had always believed in him. What would they feel when they hear their Clow Card Master had failed? Jaehyun wishes he can say sorry.

He thinks of Taeyong—

He barely finishes thinking of Taeyong when he hits the waters and everything goes dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun wakes up in a choking fit, his throat on fire as he gasps for air. He opens his eyes, his vision still blurry, though he can make out the dark clouds in the sky. The last time he remembers seeing is the dark clouds before he—

The Storm.

Jaehyun sits up and looks around him. The sky suddenly starts to clear, and the clouds start moving to give way to the sun. It’s over. The Storm has been captured, and that can only be the work of one person.

He sees a figure standing at the edge of the cliff, his back turned on Jaehyun. Jaehyun sees the familiar sword on one hand, and a card on the other. But the next thing Jaehyun notices is the shirt and the shorts the figure is wearing. It’s too familiar, that he feels like he has been doused by ice cold water at the realization.

“… Taeyong?”

The figure stiffens at the mention of the name. The silence that follows is eerily loud, and Jaehyun almost thought the figure had said something he didn’t hear because of how loud is heartbeat is in his eardrums. It couldn’t be, right? The masked figure, his rival for the ownership of the Clow Cards, couldn’t be Taeyong …

But the figure turns around, and Taeyong stares at him, eyes wide. Jaehyun’s heart stops.

“Jaehyun, I’m sorry,” Taeyong says in a shaky voice. “I’m so, so sorry.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Johnny decides to cut their beach trip short. “That storm was some weird shit,” he says. “Who knows if it might happen again? And I don’t want to put you guys in danger.” Everyone seems to agree that they’d rather not take risks, so they pack their bags and climb the van.

Everyone must have noticed that Jaehyun and Taeyong aren’t speaking to each other. Ten tries to lighten the mood by sharing funny stories from high school and freshman year. Johnny cracks a cheesy joke, while Hansol and Yuta share their own stories. It doesn’t work, so most of the ride is spent on silence and hushed conversations.

Taeyong had tried to hold his hand at one point, but Jaehyun quickly brushes it away, settling his gaze to the view outside.

Looking back, he should have seen the signs—how he and Taeyong would have a hard time coordinating schedules whenever Jaehyun would have a card to capture, how the masked figure had softened his stance. He should have sensed magic from Taeyong, but …

Maybe he was too naïve to sense it.

His phone beeps just as he and Ten arrive in their apartment. It’s a message from Taeyong.

Jaehyun closes the messaging app and stuffs his phone in his pocket.

Sicheng and Taeil are waiting for them in the apartment, bursting with anticipation about the capture of The Storm. Jaehyun barely looks at them in the eye as he tells them how he almost died if not for Taeyong saving his life. Ten gasps audibly upon the reveal of the identity of the masked figure, but Taeil merely nods sagely.

“It makes perfect sense you didn’t detect Taeyong’s powers whenever he’s in the vicinity,” Sicheng says. “He’s an indirect descendant of Clow Reed. He can conceal his magic whenever he wants.”

Jaehyun understands that, but still. He can’t wrap his head around the fact that Taeyong _knew_ he had magic and could capture Clow Cards. Taeyong had the chance to tell him of who he is, yet he didn’t.

Because even if Jaehyun knew Taeyong is his rival for the ownership of the Clow Cards, his feelings wouldn’t be any different.

“I know you’re hurt by this revelation,” Taeil tells him, “but I hope it doesn’t demotivate you from capturing the cards.”

Jaehyun shakes his head. “It doesn’t,” he says. “It’s just that …” He clenches his fists. “I thought I was starting to get stronger, but …” He remembers how the Sealing Wand has fallen from his grasp and how he couldn’t get it back. “Apparently, I’m not as strong as I thought I was,” he says with a sigh.

Sicheng and Taeil look at each other, but it’s Ten who puts his arm around Jaehyun’s shoulders. “Are you crazy?” he says. “You’re so much different from that time you first captured The Fly!”

“That’s true,” Sicheng says with a nod. “You’ve come a long way, Jaehyun. You’re stronger than you think you are. One failed attempt of capturing a strong card doesn’t mean you’re weak.”

“You have the likings of being the Clow Card Master.” Taeil smiles. “Final Judgment or not.”

Jaehyun sniffs and clenches his fists, but he doesn’t protest when Ten pulls him for a hug. The doubts start coming back to him the moment he almost died, but at least now he’s sure that there are people who he can count on when he starts questioning himself.

He still has a long way to go, but at least he won’t be alone.

“Feeling a bit better?” Sicheng asks after a long stretch of silence.

“A bit.” Jaehyun manages a smile, his first smile after all that has happened yesterday. “Thank you, everyone. I won’t let you down.”

“That’s the Jaehyun I know.” Ten beams. “Now that you got your confidence back, I think there’s one more thing you need to deal with.”

Jaehyun knows that very well. He has to talk to Taeyong, but the thought itself scares him that when they actually talk about it, nothing will be the same again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _From: Jaehyun_  
_9:36a.m. Hyung? Can I see you?_  
_9:37a.m. We need to talk._

 _From: Taeyong_  
_9:42a.m. I’ll meet you outside the campus gates._  
_9:43a.m. I’ll go there right now._

 _From: Jaehyun_  
_9:43a.m. Okay, I’m on my way._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He finds Taeyong leaning against the brick walls of the campus’ gates. The older one looks at his direction, and his eyes widen, peeling himself off the wall and straightening his posture. “You … you came,” he says, as if not expecting Jaehyun to show up at all.

Jaehyun shrugs. “I was the one who said we needed to talk,” he says. “So, here I am.”

Taeyong chuckles nervously. “Right.” He looks around. “Do you wanna talk somewhere, um, private?”

“Yeah, sure.”

They walk side by side, arms brushing against each other. It’s a hot July day, and Jaehyun would give anything to go somewhere with a cool breeze, or at least proper air-conditioning. Yet, this walk gives him the perfect opportunity to think of what he should say, or maybe how he should react with whatever Taeyong tells him.

Soon, they stop in a shaded area of the park, the breeze suddenly becoming cooler. Taeyong stuffs his hands in his pockets and turns to look at him. His eyes remind Jaehyun of a wounded puppy, and Jaehyun is sure all is going to be forgiven at this point. (He wants to berate himself for being this soft, but then again, he’s sure he’s not going to regret it.)

“So,” Jaehyun begins. “You’re Clow Reed’s indirect descendant?”

Taeyong nods. “He’s my great-grandmother’s older brother,” he says. “My great-grandmother wanted a quiet life and wanted nothing to do with the Clow Cards. But she did keep the magical tradition of the family alive, mostly just in case something happens.

“But when my mother told the story of the Clow Cards, I knew I wanted to be the Clow Card Master. Not because I wanted that much power, but because I wanted to protect the people I love. If those cards go out of control, or if some disaster happens …” Taeyong shakes his head. “I mean, why not use your powers for good, right?”

“Yeah, I get it.” Jaehyun nods. He decided he will commit to being the Clow Card Master for the same reasons.

“Then, I sensed that Sicheng chose someone else to be the Clow Card Master,” Taeyong continues, diverting his gaze to the tree near them. “I was so mad because here I am, sharing the same blood as Clow Reed, and yet I didn’t get chosen. I was hell-bent on proving that I was the rightful owner of the Clow Cards.

“Then you met me,” Jaehyun concludes.

“I saw you capturing The Watery in the water park,” Taeyong says, his cheeks red. “I sensed the card and went to investigate, then I saw you struggling. I wanted to stand in and defeat the card myself, but you managed to pull through. Even if you sucked,” he adds with a chuckle.

It’s Jaehyun’s face that reddens now. “In my defense, that was the third card I captured,” he says. “I was still adjusting.”

“But you were cute.” Taeyong meets his gaze and chuckles. “That boobskirt on you looked stupid, but you were cute.”

“I’m gonna kill Ten—” Jaehyun grits his teeth. It was a costume he had reluctantly worn—in the spirit of being a supportive best friend—and it was a costume that he would like to forget.

Taeyong laughs, and Jaehyun does forget.

“I learned that the guardian’s appointment doesn’t make you an automatic master of the Clow Cards,” the older one continues. “So I trained hard, researched on the cards and honed my magic. By the time you saw me as the guy with the mask, I was ready and out to beat you.”

“Is that why you asked me to be your partner in marketing class? So you can get to know me and learn my weakness?” Jaehyun asks. There. He had asked it. He wasn’t mad at Taeyong hiding his identity, but this was the question that had bothered him the moment he knew. Was all of … this … a ruse for Taeyong to get the upper hand?

Taeyong shakes his head. “When I asked you to be my partner in marketing class, I really didn’t know anyone,” he says sheepishly. “When we agreed to start dating, I meant it. I swore to myself that I would keep my identity as that masked guy separate from my true self.”

“And were you planning on telling me eventually?”

“I was.” There goes that wounded-puppy look again. “I was actually planning to tell you during the beach trip, but …” Taeyong sighs. “I saw you get knocked off by The Storm, and I had to save you.” He grimaces at the memory. “I know you’re mad, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. But I just want to let you know that I didn’t befriend you and date you because I wanted to find your weakness and beat you in the Final Judgment. And I mean it.”

Jaehyun feels the heavy weight in his chest, all his doubts and fears, disappear. He smiles and steps forward, reaching for Taeyong’s hand. “I was mad, at first, but I know that feeling. I have to hide my identity from my friends and family, so I know it wasn’t easy. I just wanted to know that you weren’t dating me for a reason other than you like me.”

“I _do_ like you,” Taeyong insists. He places his free hand on top of Jaehyun’s. “And besides the whole reveal of myself as the masked figure, I wanted to talk to you about something else.”

“And what would that be?” Jaehyun doesn’t know why his heart started pounding furiously.

Taeyong smiles, shy and endearing. “I … wanted to ask if you wanted to take this relationship seriously,” he says.

Jaehyun’s eyes widen, as he remembers what Johnny had told him in the beach. Could this be … it? “By taking this relationship seriously, you mean …?” he asks. “Being boyfriends?”

“If you’re still up for it.”

Jaehyun smiles back. “I still am,” he says. “Besides …” He smirks. “I can’t resist a guy surrounded in mystery, can I?”

Taeyong throws his head back in laughter, but it doesn’t take too long for him to pull Jaehyun in an embrace. Jaehyun returns the gesture, and he can feel Taeyong’s heartbeat against his. Ten had told him that when feelings are returned, there’s this some kind of spark or maybe fireworks, but this … simplicity feels so much better. Much more right.

He can stay like this, contented in Taeyong’s embrace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The summer holidays soon come to an end, and the autumn semester begins. Jaehyun enlists for classes, and unfortunately, Taeyong has used up all his electives and is now working on the second part of his required business proposal. Not that it’s a problem. Now that they’re officially together, they can always find time for each other.

“Aren’t you worried that Taeyong would have better card combinations come Final Judgment?” Taeil asks him one time.

Jaehyun thinks of the cards he has captured, and he shakes his head. “The strength of a card master shouldn’t be on the cards he has, right?” he points out. “It will all depend on how the card master uses them.”

Taeil stares at him for a good full minute at that. He then chuckles, as he returns his gaze to his book. “You have matured since the first time we met,” he remarks. “I’m proud of you, Jaehyun.”

Jaehyun’s chest warms up at those words.

There’s hope for him, after all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What do you think will happen in the Final Judgment?”

Taeyong asks that question in Jaehyun and Ten’s apartment. It’s a cool Friday night, and Jaehyun has the apartment to himself, since Ten had slept over at Johnny’s. Taeyong had pulled up a couple of all-nighters because of his business proposal and was too exhausted to take the train home, so Jaehyun volunteered to have the older one crash at his place.

Sleep, however, did not come to Taeyong so quickly. Jaehyun makes dinner, and Taeyong decides to help. They end up cooking a feast, each of them boasting about their mothers’ best recipes. They take their plates on the couch to watch one of those reality TV shows on primetime, which they space out on eventually because Taeyong asks that question.

Jaehyun had asked that question for as long as he can remember, but his mind still draws a blank. “It could be anything,” he says. “My most reasonable theory is that we have to take on Clow Reed, or at least his direct descendants.”

“My great-grandfather …” Taeyong takes a deep breath and stands up to place the empty plates on the sink. “Who would have known I’ll finally see his side of the family?”

“What did he look like?” Jaehyun asks, following Taeyong back to the kitchen.

Taeyong scrunches his face, and he spends the next few minutes frowning whilst washing the dishes. “You know what?” he says. “I have no idea. My great-grandmother had hidden her family photos. No one from his side of the family keeps in touch either.”

“That’s too bad.” Jaehyun’s heart sinks. “But either way, the Final Judgment isn’t going to be easy, and we have no way of knowing.”

“It’s just around the corner.” Taeyong rinses the dishes and places it on the nearby rack. He then wipes his hands on the nearby towel before leaning against the counter. “Only three cards are left uncaptured.”

Jaehyun knows that much. Sicheng had revealed to him the last three cards after their most recent card capture—The Nothing, The Dark, and The Light. “Sicheng told me that Clow Reed’s direct descendant bestows upon the chosen Clow Card Master The Dark and The Light if he passes the Final Judgment. Technically, we only have one card left to capture.”

Taeyong groans, and he reaches for Jaehyun’s hands and pulls him close. “Are you nervous?” he asks.

“Nervous is an understatement,” Jaehyun says with a chuckle. “I’m more terrified.”

“Me, too.”

At least Jaehyun knows he’s not alone. He sighs and leans forward until his and Taeyong’s foreheads are touching. “Hey, hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll be happy for you if you passed the Final Judgment, and not me,” Jaehyun says, almost a whisper, his hands making its way on Taeyong’s hips. “You deserve it as much as I do.”

Taeyong chuckles softly, his arms on Jaehyun’s shoulder. “You’re so nice, it’s unfair,” he says. He meets Jaehyun’s gaze, a faint blush on his cheeks. “For the record, I’ll be happy if you get to be the Clow Card Master.”

Jaehyun feels he can float right then and there. Then, Taeyong pulls him closer and closes the distance between them, and he thinks that whatever decision Clow Reed’s direct descendant may be, he wouldn’t mind at all.

All he wants is to be by Taeyong’s side if he becomes the Clow Card Master, and for Taeyong to do the same if Jaehyun becomes the Clow Card Master. That would be enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They capture The Nothing on the first day of winter. The capture proved to be quite a challenge. The Nothing was more powerful than Sicheng and Taeil had expected it to be. They corner the card in the amusement park, and Jaehyun is thankful that he managed to summon The Sleep on time; The Nothing used its powers to levitate things and throw it at their direction, so he was thankful no one innocent got involved.

In the end, Taeyong’s lightning magic caught The Nothing off-guard. Jaehyun turned it into its card form, but it went to Taeyong’s hands, and he’s okay with that.

Of course, the capture of The Nothing can only mean one thing. “The Final Judgment will be upon us soon,” Taeil informs them.

“You two better get ready,” Sicheng adds. “Clow Reed’s direct descendant will be making themselves known anytime soon.”

Jaehyun catches Taeyong looking at him grimly, and he merely nods. Even though they have agreed to accept whatever the outcome will be, there’s no denying that the thought of finally going into the Final Judgment is terrifying.

Jaehyun makes a mental note to be on his toes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, the university lets out for the winter break. Jaehyun crams most of his schoolwork on the first three days of the break so that he has time to hang out with his family and friends. Ten flies back to Thailand (with Johnny accompanying him—Jaehyun makes a mental note to ask his best friend if this is turning into something more serious), so he has the apartment to himself once more. He drags Taeyong to his house for Christmas dinner, and his parents like Taeyong, so Jaehyun is over the moon.

The Final Judgment doesn’t come. They wait and wait for it, but the New Year passes, and Clow Reed’s direct descendant hasn’t made themselves known yet. Jaehyun had tried to sense his magic, but Sicheng points out that anyone with the blood of Clow Reed has powerful magic they can conceal it even from those with magic.

Jaehyun checks his cards every day and thinks of possible combinations in future combat. He thinks of every possible challenge Clow Reed’s direct descendant might throw at him, and he tries to think of strategies. Sometimes he shares it with Taeyong, who has thought of his own scenarios and his own strategies, too. They often go to Sicheng and Taeil, who also help them come up with strategies. Jaehyun is relieved he is not alone.

Soon, they return to school and go back to the daily grind. Taeyong disappears for the whole month of January to focus on his business proposal defense, and Jaehyun is left working on his own schoolwork. Ten finally admits to him that he and Johnny are getting more serious, and Jaehyun is happy for him because Ten and Johnny are a couple that looks so … natural and perfect together.

Of course, he had wondered if he and Taeyong can ever be like that. He’s quick to remind himself to take the relationship as it is and ask the questions when it gets there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, it’s February. Taeyong takes him to this fancy restaurant because they have many reasons to celebrate—Taeyong had aced his business proposal defense and has a few more requirements to go before he is officially cleared for graduation, Jaehyun is celebrating his birthday on the fourteenth, and apparently they’re celebrating their six-month anniversary. Jaehyun barely remembered until Taeyong pointed it out.

“I like remembering dates and celebrating them,” Taeyong explains, blushing. They had just finished dinner and are now taking a walk by the river, the dim lights surrounding them giving the setting a more romantic feel.

“Six months? Who would have known?” Jaehyun chuckles, swaying their intertwined hands as they walk.

They reach one of the quieter spots by the river, and they lean against the railings, arms brushing against each other. Jaehyun can’t resist glancing at Taeyong, whose gaze is on the bridge far away. It’s one of those moments where he thinks he’s one of the luckiest people in the world.

Taeyong soon breaks the silence. “We’re okay, right?” he asks.

“By ‘we’, you mean …?”

“You know …” Taeyong scratches the back of his head. “Us, dating, in a relationship, capturing cards, preparing for the Final Judgement. I mean …” He chuckles nervously, and leaves his sentence hanging.

“Of course, we are.” Jaehyun smiles, leaning closer so their faces are inches apart. “For all it’s worth, I’m happy being with you.”

Taeyong beams, and his shoulders relax. “Me, too,” he says, before leaning in.

They don’t know how long they’ve been kissing (and Jaehyun doesn’t really care if anyone sees them), but soon, it gets late. Jaehyun’s apartment is a long walk from where they are, so Taeyong offers his place to crash for the night. This is the first time Jaehyun will ever be in Taeyong’s apartment, and he thinks it’s a big thing, to be honest.

As expected, Taeyong’s apartment is spic and span, though that doesn’t stop him from fussing over the smallest details, like fluffing the throw pillows and giving Jaehyun a glass of water. Jaehyun stops him by grabbing him by the wrist and kissing him silly.

Taeyong drags him to his bedroom, where they both fall on the bed. After some lazy kissing, exhaustion eventually takes over. Jaehyun shifts so that he’s facing the side, and smiles to sleep when he feels Taeyong’s arms around him.

Six months, with Taeyong.

Jaehyun is looking forward to the next six months, and maybe the next few years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He feels like he’s dreaming.

Jaehyun is very sure he’s dreaming. He’s pretty sure he was sleeping next to Taeyong minutes ago. How would he explain being in the middle of the central business district at nighttime, with no one else around?

Suddenly, he hears a cry for help. And his blood runs cold as he recognizes that voice.

“Ten!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun opens his eyes and sits up from his bed, cold sweat trickling down his face. He takes deep breaths and looks around. He’s in Taeyong’s room. It was definitely a dream, but knowing his dreams, it could be something—

_Ten!_

“Jaehyun?” He glances at Taeyong, who had just sat up from the bed as well. He’s looking at Jaehyun with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Ten,” Jaehyun says, eyes wide. His breath hitches, and he tries to breathe normally, but it feels more like he’s having a panic attack, if anything. “I dreamt of him crying for help, and if there’s anything I’ve learned, is that my dreams mean something, and he could be in danger.”

“Okay.” Taeyong nods, as he reaches from inside his pants pocket. “You call Ten. I’ll call Johnny.”

Jaehyun’s hands are shaking as he presses Ten’s caller ID. The phone keeps ringing, but no one picks up. He tries again and again. “Come on, Ten, pick up, please,” he pleads, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. “Please let me know you’re okay.”

Three more tries, and Ten doesn’t pick up.

Taeyong doesn’t bring any good news either. “Johnny isn’t answering his calls either.”

By this time, Jaehyun’s heart is racing. Several scenarios flash in his mind. Ten and Johnny could have gotten into an accident. Someone could have mugged his best friend. Or—

“Hey.” Jaehyun snaps back to reality when Taeyong pulls him closer. “Calm down, Jae. We’ll find them. And if they’re in trouble, we’ll be there to save their asses. Got that?”

Jaehyun sniffs and nods, burying his face in Taeyong’s chest. Taeyong rubs gentle circles around his back in an attempt to calm him down. It’s somewhat effective. Jaehyun tries to clear his mind of all the panic he’s feeling to focus on finding Ten and Johnny. “I was running towards the central business district in my dream,” he says.

Taeyong pulls away and nods. “Then let’s start there.”

Jaehyun calls Taeil and Sicheng to inform them of his dream and that they’re searching for Ten. They assure them that they’ll meet him and Taeyong in the central business district to help. “Do you think one of the last two cards is responsible for this?” Jaehyun asks Taeil.

“Your dreams may be foretelling, but it may not necessarily be the work of a Clow Card,” he says. “However, I won’t discount the possibility. It’s best to be prepared, nonetheless.”

It’s eerily quiet in the central business district when they arrive. The city is supposed to be alive at this time of night … or, rather, early morning. The sun is supposed to rise, but they’re blanketed in darkness. Jaehyun glances at Taeyong, realization dawning on the older one’s face. “Is it …?”

Taeyong nods.

However, it’s Sicheng who voices out their questions. “He’s coming,” he says.

Jaehyun finds Taeyong’s hand and lets their fingers intertwine. He catches Taeyong say something, but he didn’t hear it beyond the loud thumping of his heart.

This is it.

The Final Judgment.

Then, Jaehyun hears it, Ten’s cry for help. He lets go of Taeyong and looks around for a sign, any sign to show where Ten is. Is Ten being used for the Final Judgment? Is this Clow Reed’s descendant’s way of testing him?

He gets his answer when he hears footsteps from behind them. They’re standing on the central walkway, but the rest of their surroundings are suddenly darker and they can’t make out the figures approaching them. The one in the middle is taller than the rest, and Jaehyun assumes that that’s him, Clow Reed’s direct descendant. His grip on his Sealing Wand tightens, as he readies himself for whatever challenge thrown at him.

Finally, the figure steps out into the light—

Jaehyun’s eyes widen. “J-Johnny hyung?”

Johnny emerges from the darkness, with Hansol and Yuta following. The older one is wearing black robes, a long staff on his right hand. He’s smiling as he glances at Jaehyun, then at Taeyong. “Welcome to the Final Judgment,” he says.

“You!” Taeyong yells, gritting his teeth. “You were our friend! We trusted you!”

Johnny laughs and shrugs his shoulders. “I did not lie to you,” he says. “It is my duty to my great-grandfather not to reveal my true identity until the Final Judgment. I consider all of you my friends, but I have to do my job.” He glances at Sicheng and Taeil, who immediately bow upon his glance. “You two understand, right?”

“Of course, Master,” Sicheng says, his gaze on the ground.

“Do you know about this?” Jaehyun asks his guardians, his eyes wide.

“Don’t worry, they don’t know about me,” Johnny says just as Taeil opens his mouth. “I’ve kept my identity hidden from your guardians. I trust them, but I prefer observing you by myself. They have done their job excellently as well.”

“Where’s Ten?”

“He’s fine.” Johnny raises his staff and swirls it around. A flash of blue appears right next to Yuta, and Ten appears. He’s sitting on a floating chair, head bowed but chest rising up and down. “I’ve put him to sleep. I needed him so you two can come here.”

“So you used Ten to get to Jaehyun?” Taeyong says.

“At first, those were my intentions,” Johnny says, glancing at Ten. “But eventually … he found a way to my soft spot.” He chuckles at that. Jaehyun can see the softness in Johnny’s expression as he says it, but if there’s anything he learned today, is to not let his guard down.

“But enough about me,” Johnny continues, waving his hand. “It is now time for me to decide which one of you is the rightful Clow Card Master. Are you two ready?”

Jaehyun nods, then glances at Taeyong, who does the same gesture.

“Very well.” Johnny looks at Hansol and Yuta, who step forward. “I have my own set of guardians,” he explains. “They will be the one helping me in the Final Judgment.” He nods, a signal that they are about to begin.

Yuta steps in front of him, while Hansol to Taeyong. Yuta raises his hand, white light emanating from his palm.

That’s the last thing Jaehyun sees before his world goes dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun feels a soft thud on the back of his head, and he groans as he opens his eyes. He’s lying down, face first on the pillow, so he props himself up, only to squint at the sudden burst of light. A couple of quick blinks, and his vision finally adjusts. He’s in his room, bright as sunlight streams through his window.

There’s another soft thud on his head, and this time, Jaehyun yelps. He grabs the source of the thud—a pillow—and looks for the source, because pillows just don’t come flying from out of nowhere. Said source is leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, a frown on his face. “Oh,” Jaehyun croaks. “G’morning, Ten.”

“Good morning,” Ten greets back, still frowning. “You’re supposed to wake me up, Jaehyun. We’re gonna be late.”

“What time is it?” Jaehyun asks, reaching for his phone. The time in his cell phone reads 7:30a.m. He remembers he had set his alarm at seven. It’s unusual for him to sleep in; he usually wakes up before the alarm or on the dot.

And to think it’s Monday. His first class is on—

“SHIT.” Jaehyun jumps up his bed and makes his way to the bathroom, ignoring the echo of Ten’s laughter in the hallways. A quick shower and a quick change of clothes later, he grabs his bag (thankfully already prepared the night before) and accepts the buttered toast Ten hands him before they both head out.

“What happened to you?” Ten snickers as they make their way past crowded streets. Thank god the university is only five minutes away from the apartment. “You were the one who keeps telling me not to wake up late, and then you were the one who slept in.”

Jaehyun tries to remember what he did the night before. He can’t remember, so it must have been another uneventful all-nighter. He thinks he had a dream, and he vaguely remembers darkness and an empty central business district, but that’s about it. He shrugs. “I guess I stayed up too late studying.”

Ten snorts. “Of course, you would.”

Jaehyun thinks he’s had this conversation before, but he can’t remember when. That, and he has this overwhelming feeling that something feels wrong and out of place. Yet, he can’t quite put a finger on it.

They reach the university campus fifteen minutes before Jaehyun’s class. Jaehyun’s first class—Principles of Marketing—is on the other side of the campus, and he makes a run for it as soon as he enters the gates. From behind, he hears Ten yelling at him about meeting in the cafeteria over lunch, to which he yells back a confirmation. He’s very sure they’re going to laugh about this blunder later, but that’s the least of his worries right now. His priority is being on time for class.

He sighs in relief when he grabs the doorknob of the classroom just as the bell rings. The marketing professor is already there, smiling as she gestures for him to sit down. Jaehyun makes himself comfortable on his usual seat—second front seat by the aisle, his row and the row in front of him void of students.

The professor has just flashed the title slide of her Power Point when the door opens once more. Jaehyun had just taken out his notebook, but looks at the direction of the door. His eyes widen, and there’s no mistaking the loud flop of his notebook on the floor.

Taeyong glances at the professor and immediately mumbles an apology, before walking to Jaehyun’s row. “Hey,” he says with a smile before taking his seat.

“Hey,” Jaehyun mumbles before he picks up his notebook and focuses on the professor’s lecture, lest someone points out how red in the face he is. Then, there goes that strange feeling again. He has had a crush on Taeyong for eight months and counting. He had always looked at Taeyong from afar, but something tells him that he and Taeyong might have had a connection of some sort, like they’ve actually talked before.

But, just like earlier, Jaehyun can’t quite seem to put a finger on it.

The day goes by, as usual. Jaehyun attends the rest of his classes, has lunch with Ten, then goes to the student council office for their weekly update meeting. Johnny is extra enthusiastic about the school festival, and Jaehyun volunteers to be the project head. As usual, Ten is waiting outside the office, and tries to talk to Johnny afterwards.

It’s when he steps out of the office that he hears the fluttering of wings, afterwards a foreboding feeling. He tells Ten his mother is in the area and wants to catch up, hastening his pace before Ten can ask any questions. He runs out of the hallways and outside the building, and he sees a glowing trail leading to the campus forests.

The trail ends in an empty patch on the forests. Suddenly, the sun disappears. The moon doesn’t rise—everything is pitch black. Jaehyun looks around and tries to look for a way out, but even the ground before him has turned black. Panic starts to bubble inside him. What is going on?

Suddenly, his necklace starts to glow. He had even forgotten this necklace existed. He doesn’t even remember getting it. But as he watches it glow, he feels a certain warmth, something familiar.

He reaches a hand towards his necklace—

It all starts coming back to him—that day in the apartment when he opened the mysterious book, the landlord’s son Sicheng appointing him as the Clow Card Master, his first card capture, the masked figure, Taeyong, Johnny, Ten—

The Final Judgment.

This isn’t real. This is his life if he wasn’t the Clow Card Master. As peaceful as it may be, a normal life feels empty. He wants to do this. He wants to be the Clow Card Master. He knows he can do it.

Suddenly, two figures appear before him. One of them, a woman with a spiked crown on her curly hair, a sun printed on her chest; the other a woman in all black, a spiked crown on her dark hair, five gems across her chest. “The Light and The Dark,” he murmurs.

The Light nods. “You have passed the test,” she says.

Jaehyun widens. “I did?” he asks, in disbelief.

The Dark nods. “The Master’s descendant has placed you under a dream, one where you live a life without your powers. Should you succumb to it, you shall fail.”

“And what … happens if I failed?” Jaehyun asks. If he passed the Final Judgment, it only meant Taeyong didn’t. He feels guilty for it, but he remembers the talk they had back in Jaehyun’s apartment.

“Our Master wished for the one who failed to have their memories erased,” The Dark says, voice more somber than its counterpart. “But, as you are the new Master, it shall be up to you.”

Jaehyun remembers the promise he and Taeyong made back in his apartment, yet he feels a punch of guilt to the gut. He shakes his head. “Losing the Clow Card ownership is punishment enough,” he says. “His cards become my cards, right?”

“That’s correct,” The Light says. She reaches out her hand. “Now, let us go back. The others are awaiting the verdict.”

Jaehyun takes her hand, soft and warm in his. “Let’s go.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Jaehyun opens his eyes, he’s back to where he’s standing. Yuta has lowered his hand and is beaming at him. Johnny had just stepped forward and has given him a smile and a nod. On his right hand are two cards he didn’t know he had been holding—The Dark and The Light.

Warmth spreads throughout his body as it dawns on him once more. He did not dream it all.

He looks to his side. Hansol had just lowered his hand, and Taeyong had just opened his eyes. Taeyong looks at his surroundings before their gazes met. Jaehyun is expecting a look of disappointment, but instead, Taeyong smiles—no, practically beams—at him.

Taeyong takes a step forward, and Jaehyun follows. Soon, their arms are wrapped around each other, Taeyong’s chin tucked on his shoulder.

“You did it,” Taeyong whispers to him. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Me too, hyung,” Jaehyun whispers back, lifting a hand to run through Taeyong’s hair. “Me, too.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Days turn into weeks, and soon, it is the last week of February. Jaehyun, Ten, and Sicheng cram themselves in the back of the university auditorium, all smiles as they watch the many seniors in their caps and togas march to the stage to get their diplomas. (Taeil is stuck in the first two rows of the auditorium, being part of the faculty and all.) Jaehyun struggles between making sure the bouquet doesn’t fall off his lap and turning a page on the graduation booklet. Ten is rolling his eyes, muttering a curse word as he accidentally kills himself in the app he has been playing since the beginning of the ceremony.

Soon, the dean of the school of business comes up the podium, and Jaehyun tosses the graduation booklet towards an unsuspecting Ten, who practically shrieks in surprise, causing some of the audience members to jump in their seats. Jaehyun pays no attention to that, as he fishes out his phone and gets the camera ready.

Finally, the moment he’s been waiting for. The dean calls Taeyong’s name, and the three of them come standing up and cheering in the loudest, most embarrassing way possible. Taeyong glances at them from the stage, laughing and mouthing something Jaehyun can’t make out. Jaehyun just laughs, as he manages to take a video of that short but sweet moment.

“Man, in two more years, that’s going to be us,” Ten remarks when they’ve settled back to their seats.

“Yeah.” Jaehyun gazes at the stage, at the graduates, and he nods. So much has happened in a span of a year, and he knows the next two years will fly by just as quickly as the past year did. In March, he’ll be a junior college student, not to mention the vice president of the student council, added to the fact that he has to be on call at all times in case some strange phenomenon happens.

But somehow, the burden isn’t as heavy as he expected it to be. He has Sicheng and Taeil to guide him, and Taeyong and Johnny are there to have his back because battles can never be fought alone. Of course, he has Ten to lift him up when his spirits are down, and make the best costumes a Clow Card Master can ask for.

The names called soon reach those whose last names start with “S.” Jaehyun glances at Ten, who is back to playing the game on his phone. Yet, he can see his best friend’s eyes glancing at the stage every now and then. Jaehyun chuckles and glances at Sicheng, who seems to get the gist.

The dean calls Johnny’s name, and Jaehyun and Sicheng stand up to cheer. From the other side of the auditorium, Hansol and Yuta have stood up as well. Jaehyun wants to laugh as to how Ten pretends not to pay attention, and how Johnny had glanced at them to acknowledge the cheering, but his gaze remains on Ten.

(Ten had ignored Johnny the moment he had come to after the Final Judgment. Johnny had tried all that he can to get Ten alone so he can explain himself, but the younger one wouldn’t try to listen. Jaehyun thinks it’s only a matter of time, though. Ten can only resist Johnny for so long.)

They meet Taeil outside the auditorium, then meet Taeyong on the quadrangle after graduation ceremonies. Taeyong is beaming as he approaches, camera out as he takes a shot of the four of them approaching. Naturally, Jaehyun pulls him to an embrace. “Congratulations,” he says, then hands Taeyong the bouquet.

“On joining the unemployed forces? Thanks.” Taeyong laughs, accepting the bouquet. He waves for Sicheng using the hand holding the camera. “Sicheng! Take a picture of us!”

“I’m a guardian of the Clow Card Master. You can’t expect me to obey yo—”

Jaehyun laughs, letting Taeyong grab him by the waist and pull him close. “It’s just a picture, Sicheng.”

Sicheng mumbles something that Jaehyun doesn’t catch, but he takes a picture of them anyway.

“What are you going to do now, Taeyong?” Taeil asks.

Taeyong hums, his arm still around Jaehyun’s waist. “I’ve been looking for jobs,” he says, “but I’m planning to go on a little vacation. Go back to my hometown.” He glances at Jaehyun and smiles expectantly. “I’d like to introduce the new Clow Card Master to my family.”

Jaehyun’s eyes widen. They have discussed meeting Taeyong’s family before, and honestly, he was waiting for Taeyong to finally officially extend an invitation. The fact that it still takes him by surprise … He manages to retain his composure. “When are you planning to do that?” he asks.

“If next week isn’t so soon for you …?”

“Next week?” Jaehyun is sure he doesn’t have any plans until the start of the new school year, so … “Next week is perfect.”

“Oh my god, you guys.” Ten’s forehead is scrunched, arms crossed as he glares at them. “It’s too early in the day for this kind of PDA.”

Jaehyun sticks his tongue out at Ten. He’s about to remind his best friend that he had to endure days and days of his PDA with—

 _Speaking of which._ “Hey, Ten,” he says with a smirk. “Looks like your boyfriend’s here.”

Ten looks at where Jaehyun is looking, and it’s amusing how his best friend’s eyes look like they’re about to commit bloody murder. From behind Ten, Johnny is running towards their direction. Ten makes a run for it, or rather makes quick steps, but Johnny’s limbs are longer and he’s able to grab Ten by the shoulder and turn him around.

“Ten …” Johnny says as he tries to catch his breath. “Finally. I got you.”

“You got me?” Ten’s raised eyebrow would send Jaehyun flinching if he wasn’t trying to stifle in laughter. Johnny seems to be the one to have flinched, though. “I fell for you, Johnny Seo. I thought we had something special, but apparently, I’m just part of your stupid game, right? Seduce the Clow Card Master’s best friend to make your life easier?”

“Look, I’m sorry!” Johnny tries to reach for Ten’s hands, but Ten is quick to move away. “That was my plan at first, but—”

“But what?” Ten crosses his arms once more and turns around. “Honestly, Johnny, quit playing with my feelings.”

“This is such an ideal scene for a drama, don’t you think?” Taeyong murmurs in Jaehyun’s ear.

“Shush.” Jaehyun chuckles. Apparently, their group of friends are standing, transfixed at the ongoing exchange between Johnny and Ten. He takes a deep breath and wonders what’s going to happen next. As much as he knows Johnny is sincere, and as much as he wants the two to get back together, it will all be up to Ten.

Suddenly, Johnny steps forward and wraps his arms around Ten, his chest against Ten’s back. “Name your price,” he says softly. “What do I do to get your trust again?”

Ten’s shoulders seem to relax, and Jaehyun can see a hint of smile in his best friend’s face. There’s a sigh, and then, “Fine. Lotte World. All-day pass. Your treat.”

“That’s it?” he hears Sicheng say in disbelief. “He could have gone bigger, like, a trip to the Bahamas or something.”

Ten doesn’t seem to hear it, as he’s smiling when Johnny spins him around and pulls him to a hug.

“Now that we got a happy ending,” Taeyong says. “What are we gonna do?”

“Hmm …” The quadrangle is more or less empty now; everyone else must have left while the whole Johnny-Ten drama is happening. “Obviously, we celebrate.”

“Of course.” Taeyong chuckles, reaching for Jaehyun’s hand. “Ready to go?”

Jaehyun looks over his shoulder, to see his friends. Johnny now has his arm around Ten, who is attempting to look like he isn’t over the moon at the moment. Johnny mentioned Hansol and Yuta catching up to them in the restaurant where they’ll have lunch to celebrate the graduation. Sicheng and Taeil are talking about something he can’t make out, but it doesn’t sound the least bit worrying.

He looks back at Taeyong and smiles, giving his hand a nudge. “Ready.”

 

 

 

 

-End-


End file.
